Mohamed, Elarbash Suhail Salem
(2024)
Microbial Assisted Date Palm
Nanocellulose Isolation And The
Fabrication Of Hydrophobic
Nanostructured Aerogel For Oil
Removal.
Masters thesis, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Abstract
The integration of biological processes, exemplified by Aspergillus niger,
emerges as a cornerstone for innovative and eco-conscious practices in nanocellulose
isolation. This thesis investigates the isolation of nanocellulose from date palm sheath
fibers (DPSF) using Aspergillus niger, and the fabrication of hydrophobic aerogel.
Pretreatment of DPSF was initially done prior to the microbial treatment, including
pulping and bleaching process to get rid of lignin and other impurities. Post treatment
including homogenization process was also included to effectively separate the nano
fibers. The date palm sheath fibers showcased a cellulose content of 49.3%,
accompanied by 22.7% lignin and 20.4% hemicellulose. Leveraging the enzymatic
action of Aspergillus niger effectively dismantled the complex lignocellulosic
structure, yielding nanocellulose with substantially reduced size. Extended incubation
periods, notably the 96-hour treatment (DPSF-96), markedly decreased fiber size, with
81.3% ranging between 0 to 10 nm, albeit reducing the yield to 84%. Notably, DPSF-
72 exhibited optimal yield with most fibers falling within the nano-scale range (<100
nm). TEM analysis vividly displayed nanocellulose fibrillation post-microbial enzyme
action, portraying individual fibers separating from bundled structures, demonstrating
smaller diameters and enhanced fiber dispersion. In comparing zeta potential values,
commercial nanocellulose registered -30.9 ± 4.7 mV, while the isolated variant
showcased superior stability with -33.4 ± 2.7 mV.
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