Extraction and characterisation of cellulose microfibrils from pongamia pinnata seed shell

Abstract

Biodiesel is a renewable resource of energy and has gained its importance in India due to soaring oil price and largely enhanced environmental awareness. Biodiesel and other biofuels are produced from agricultural plant and plant products. Pongamia Pinnata seeds have been identified as a superior and more sustainable source of biodiesel. The process generates large amount of unused Pongamia Pinnata seed shell. The present paper reports isolation of cellulose microfibrils from Pongamia Pinnata seed shell using chlorination and alkaline extraction process. The morphology of the cellulose microfibrils was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy. The cellulose microfibrils had diameter in the range of 0.8-2.6 ?m. The crystallinity index obtained from X-ray diffraction and spectrums from Fourier transform infrared and Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for seed shell and extracted cellulose microfibrils, showed that the chemical treatments removed most of the hemicellulose and lignin from the seed shell fibers. The thermal stability of the fibers was analysed using thermogravimetric analysis, which demonstrated that thermal stability was enhanced noticeably for cellulose microfibrils. This work provides a new approach for more effective utilisation of Pongamia Pinnata seed shell to examine their potential use as reinforcement fibres in biocomposites. � 2015 International Committee on Composite Materials. All rights reserved.