CELLULOSE WHISKERS FROM AGRO-INDUSTRIAL BANANA WASTES: ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Due of the potential use of cellulose whiskers (CW) as reinforcement in the design, processing and production of nanobiocomposites, the aim of this study was to obtain whiskers from agro-industrial waste banana (Musa cavendish). The methodology for obtaining cellulose includes conventional chemical methods such as acid hydrolysis, chlorination, alkaline extraction and bleaching. Double acid hydrolysis (4N HCl and H2SO4 64%) and sonification process were applied for their extraction. The final product was characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermal analysis (DTG), Polariscope and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The patterns of X-ray diffraction indicate a high crystallinity, due to efficient dissolution of the amorphous regions (lignin and hemicellulose) by the acid treatments. These results were confirmed by the FTIR spectra. The AFM micrographs allowed to evaluate the characteristic dimensions of the CW, length of 200 nm up to 1.3 mu m and diameter between 7 and 70 nm and, showing a high aspect ratio (l/d) to act as reinforcement in composite materials, making evident the potential of banana agro-waste as source for the production of cellulose whiskers (CW).