Comparative Characterization of Sulfated Holocellulose Nanofibrils from Different Plant Materials

Holocellulose nanofibrils, as a two-component biomass nanomaterial, exhibit many advantages in surface/interface engineering fields, and show a broader prospect in the preparation of high-performance functional materials. However, there is a lack of research in this newly emerging material from the perspective of raw material selection. Herein, holocellulose derived from bamboo, pine, and eucalyptus are chosen to prepare sulfated holocellulose nanofibrils (SHCNFs) through sulfation and mechanical defibrillation. The sulfation and disintegration into SHCNFs are governed not only by the amount of hemicellulose, but also by the fiber morphology. The properties of SHCNFs largely depends on the plant species. Compared with the other two raw materials, bamboo holocellulose fibers have higher reaction accessibility and facile defibrillation property. The resulting bamboo SHCNF films exhibites excellent mechanical performance (tensile strength, 201 MPa; Young’s modulus, 5.7 GPa). Moreover, the bamboo SHCNFs suspension shows good dispersibility. Therefore, it has more advantages in the preparation of multifunctional composite materials.