Isolation and characterization of Nanocrystalline cellulose based nanobiocomposite from oil palm biomass with potential application in packaging.

Bionanocomposite is one of the remarkable achievements of nanotechnology in
material science to replace conventional non-biodegradable petroleum based plastics
for packaging applications. In generaL bionanocomposites are made up of
biodegradable polymers (biopolymers) and bio based reinforcing material in the size
range of I 0 - I 00 nm in one or more dimensions. Bio based materials could provide a
solution for petroleum shortage and waste management problems. One of the potential
reinforcing agents is agro industrial biowastcs such as oil palm empty truit bunch
tiber "hich has highest composition of cellulose as compared to other fibers. This
stud: inwstigate' the effectiveness of nanocrysta\line cellulose (NCC) derived from
oil palm empt) fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibers as reinforcement in order to improve the
mechanicaL thermaL morphological and barrier properties of bionanocomposite
materials. The nanocrystalline cellulose was extracted from oil palm empty fruit
bunch fibers through a series of chemical treatment.