Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) from Ammophila arenaria, a natural and a fast growing grass plant

The production of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with a high yield from Ammophila arenariahas been explored and the ensuing CNFs were characterized in terms of morphology, crystallinity and rheological properties. Ammophila arenaria (marram grass) is a perennial grass plant with high tolerance to drought, which is growing naturally in nutritionally poor sand with low organic matter. Fibers were extracted from the plant by conventional alkaline pulping and bleaching with a yield around 50% based on the dry weight of the plant. A TEMPO-mediated oxidation and a cationization with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride were performed as a pretreament to facilitate the fibrillation process and produced stable CNF suspension with high yield and controlled surface charge. High pressure homogenization was used for the mechanical disintegration of the pretreated fibers and nanosized CNFs with width around 5-8 nm were produced with a yield exceeding 80%.