Preparation of magnetic iron Oxide coated on the surface of Cellulose nanocrystals by in-situ coprecipitation process

This study reported a single-step method for the fabrication of magnetic cellulose nanocrystals (MGCNCs) by coprecipitation iron oxide nanoparticle onto cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were derived by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis (HCl 6 M, 25 mL/g cellulose) in the optimum condition at 90 °C for 90 min. Pure cellulose was isolated from Nypa fruticans branches, a popular tree in Vietnam. The structure and morphology of CNCs were characterized by crystallinity index, morphology and thermal stability. TEM images showed that the average fiber length of the nanocrystals was 410 nm with a diameter of 10 nm (aspect ratio of 41) and the crystallinity index of 85.2 % (by XRD). The as-prepared MGCNCs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurement (XRD), thermal gravity analysis (TGA) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The results showed that the magnetic cellulose nanocrystals absorbed about 51 % w/w on CNCs surfaces with magnetic properties and the saturation magnetization of about 24 emu/g. Possessing the biocompatibility as well as paramagnetism, the magnetic cellulose nanocrystals were promising materials for environmental treatment.