Preparation and characterization of cellulose nanofibers from de-pectinated sugar beet pulp.

Cellulose nanofibers (diameter=10-70 nm) were produced using chemical treatments (alkali treatment and bleaching) and high pressure homogenization from de-pectinated sugar beet pulp (DSBP). Chemical analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the chemical treatments greatly removed the hemicellulose and lignin from the DSBP and significantly increased the cellulose content. The crystallinity of the cellulose nanofibers increased from 35.67% to 69.62% after alkali treatment and bleaching. The thermal degradation temperature of DSBP cellulose nanofibers was 271.7 °C which was found to be 47.3 °C higher than that of the untreated DSBP. The DSBP cellulose nanofibers can be preferably used as reinforcement in the biocomposite material at high temperature.