Characterization of nanocelluloses isolated from Ushar (Calotropis procera) seed fiber: Effect of isolation method

• Ushar (Calotropis procera) seed fibers were used as a new source of cellulose.
• Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) has been isolated using an acid hydrolysis method.
• Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) was isolated by the TEMPO-mediated oxidation method.
• Properties of nanocelluloses were dependent on the isolation method.

As a new source of cellulosic materials, seed fibers of Ushar (Calotropis procera) contained cellulose has been isolated with the yield of 45% of cellulose. Two different types of nanocellulose, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), were isolated from the cellulose of Ushar seed fiber using acid hydrolysis and TEMPO-mediated oxidation methods, respectively. The CNC showed needle shape with diameter of 14–24 nm and length of 140–260 nm, while the CNF exhibited web-like long fibrous structure with the diameter of 10–20 nm. The crystallinity index of CNC and CNF was 0.70 and 0.59, and the onset temperature of thermal decomposition was 240 and 200 °C, respectively. The nanocelluloses isolated from the Ushar seed fibers have a high potential to be used as a new source of cellulose-based nanofillers for the reinforcement of bionanocomposite films.

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