Extraction and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from brown seaweed Dictyota bartayreisana, J.V.Lamouroux

Abstract For the first time, cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was derived from the biomass of brown seaweed Dictyota bartayresiana, undergoing a comprehensive process of extraction and transformation. The structural analysis, conducted via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), affirmed that the resulting CNCs displayed an average width of approximately 26 nm and a length extending to 520nm long. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that these extracted CNCs constituted around 62%. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectral analysis confirmed the successive removal of non-cellulosic components through chemical treatments. Elemental analysis (CHNS) validated the presence of sulphate groups, accounting for 0.59%. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) results unveiled the superior thermal stability of the extracted CNCs.