Single-step extraction of functionalized cellulose nanocrystal and polyvinyl chloride from industrial wallpaper wastes

• Simple extraction of cellulose nanocrystals from wallpaper wastes was presented.
• Multiple-response surface methodology has provided to optimize CNC preparation.
• Effect of CNCs particle morphology on properties of PLA was evaluated.
• Polyvinyl chloride layers could be recyclable and reused.

An efficient route for extracting cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and recycling polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is presented through formic/hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of industrial wallpaper wastes (WS). The preparation parameters were optimized by using Box–Behnken design and Multiple-response surface methodology with desirability function. An optimum yield (54.0%) and aspect ratio (12.4) were achieved at reaction time of 10 h, liquid-solid ratio of 60 mL/g, and temperature of 80 °C. With the increasing reaction time, a gradual reduction in the size of the CNCs with rod-like and spherical shapes was found, which was explained by proposed mechanism-“progressively peeling reaction”. Moreover, compared to WS, the crystallinity and maximum degradation temperature of the CNC-10H increased to 89.8% and 371.4 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the CNC-10H showed stronger nucleating effect and reinforcing capability on polylactic acid than CNC-nanosphere and CNC-nanorod. In addition, PVC layers can be completely recycled, and further used to produce new wallpapers.

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