Isolation of microcrystalline cellulose from vegetable waste biomass and its potential as a high-performance green reinforcement in biocomposites

Global problems on waste disposal and sustainable material production require an innovative concept for recycling and utilization of waste materials. This work was centred toward isolation and comprehensively characterizing of microcrystalline cellulose from a market waste. High purity microcrystalline cellulose was obtained through a chemical process that uses tetraethylenetetramine, tartaric acid, sulfamic acid and sodium percarbonate in sequence. The extracted microcrystalline cellulose had a yield of 38 %, density of 1.491 g/cm³ and an impressive cellulose content of 95.19 %. Characterization analysis such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and morphological analysis showed that the synthesized material was highly crystalline with crystallinity index of 73.8 % and average particle size of 103.696 μm. The microcrystalline cellulose had a good thermal stability with a thermal degradation temperature of 228.56 °C and energy of activation of 74.16 kJ/mol. The scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a rough and porous surface with distinct crystal bundles and average particle size of 103.696 μm which were beneficial in improving interfacial adhesion in composites. Additional surface roughness parameters determined by atomic force microscopy scans yielded negative skewness values, and higher kurtosis to support the material's applicability for mechanical reinforcement. The findings revealed that the microcrystalline cellulose derived from agricultural waste disposal was a sustainable and effective reinforcement for advanced composites. In addition, the microcrystalline cellulose supports the circular bioeconomy and achievement of sustainable development goal (SDG 12) established by the United Nations in 2015, which focuses on responsible consumption and production.