Easy production of cellulose nanofibrils from corn stalk by a conventional high speed blender

• Nanofibrillar cellulose from corn stalks was prepared via a high sped blender.
• A low energy demand for the fibrillation process was obtained.
• The NFC was composed of individual fibrils 4–5 nm in width and length in the micronic scale.
• The as produced NFC exhibited a strong reinforcing potential.

Agricultural crop residues are an abundant and cheap source of cellulose fibers suitable for uses in composite, textile, pulp and paper manufacture. Besides, field crop fibers might be an attractive source for the production of value-added nanosized cellulose fibrils with a broad potential use. In this study, nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) from corn stalk crop residues were produced with high yields using a simple high speed blender (HSB). It was shown that a full conversion of cellulose fibers into NFC was successfully achieved by disintegration during 30 min of fibers produced via a NaClO2/acetic acid delignification mode and submitted to a TEMPO-mediated oxidation pre-treatment. The fibrillation yield, transparency degree, colloidal properties and morphological characteristics of the ensuing NFC were analyzed and compared according to the delignification mode and the carboxyl content. The reinforcing potential of the NFC produced with different carboxyl contents was investigated.