Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
Green Process for Preparing Nanofibrillated Cellulose (NFC) and Nanocrystalline Cellulose (NCC) from Cellulose Pulp
Categories for this Invention
Category – Sustainable Materials Processing Applications – Packaging materials, biomedical fields, and environmental remediation
Industry – Sustainable packaging, Biomedical, and Environmental technology
Market – Global Nanocellulose market was valued at USD 0.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 2.0 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR 21.9% from 2022 to 2030.
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Problem Statement
- High energy consumption and the use of hazardous chemicals in current methods for producing nanocellulose from cellulose pulp post-removal of lignin and hemicellulose.
- Costly post-processing treatments required for waste management in existing production processes of nanocellulose.
- Therefore there is a need for a simpler, more environmentally friendly method using water-soluble organic acids, with simplified purification and concentration/drying processes and lower energy consumption.
Technology
The present invention introduces a method for deriving nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) from cellulose pulp sourced from various raw materials. (Fig. 1a &b)
- The invention proposes a method for preparing nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) using water-soluble organic acids like citric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, etc., without the addition of any other additives or mechanical processes.
- Various raw materials such as cotton, corn stover, sugarcane bagasse, etc., are utilized, with pretreatment applied to remove lignin and hemicellulose, except for sources like cotton, bleached wood pulp, and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC).
- The process aims for environmental friendliness, as demonstrated by the use of citric acid as the preferred acid treatment, and additionally yields carbon dots (CD) as a byproduct, extracted from NCC, potentially broadening its applications.
Key Features / Value Proposition
Green Process:
- Utilizes water-soluble organic acids like citric acid for environmentally friendly production of NFC/NCC, reducing the need for additives and mechanical processes.
Versatile Source Material:
- Can effectively utilize various cellulose sources including cotton, wood pulp, and agricultural waste like corn stover and sugarcane bagasse, enhancing resource efficiency.
Additional Product Yield:
- Generates valuable carbon dots (CD) as a byproduct during NCC preparation, offering added value and potential for diverse industrial applications.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact For Licensing
sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in
Research Lab
Prof. R. Dhamodharan
Department of Chemistry
Intellectual Property
- IITM IDF Ref. 1756
- IN 493953 – Patent Granted
- NBA Approval – INBA3202203972
Technology Readiness Level
TRL – 4
Technology validated in lab scale.