ENZYME-ASSISTED MICROFIBRILLATION OF PULP BY USING MICRO-GRINDER

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. Cellulose, a biopolymer found in plant cell walls, is a promising candidate due to its abundance and renewability. However, the inherent properties of cellulose, such as its high crystallinity and insolubility, make it difficult to process into useful products. Microfibrillation, a process that breaks down cellulose fibers into nanoscale dimensions, has been shown to improve the properties and functionality of cellulose-based materials. In this project, we investigated the use of enzymes to assist in the microfibrillation of cellulose fibers using a microgrinder method. Specifically, we used Refinase A & Refinase B enzymes to break down the cellulose fibers and facilitate microfibrillation. The resulting MFC was characterized using various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Our results showed that the enzyme-assisted microfibrillation method effectively produced MFC with a high degree of fibrillation and improved properties, such as increased surface area and dispersibility. This method could be a sustainable and scalable method for producing MFC for various applications in Pulp, Paper and packaging industries.