Green and Scalable Production of Nanocrystalline Cellulose Driven by a Biomass-Derived Deep Eutectic Solvent
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Agricultural residues represent a valuable renewable resource for producing sustainable functional materials. Here, we report a biomass-derived DES (Deep Eutectic Solvent) system, composed of CA–EG (Citric acid and Ethylene glycol) DES, for the selective extraction of CNC (Cellulose Nanocrystal) from agricultural straw. Operating under mild conditions, the DES efficiently disrupts the lignocellulosic network, yielding CNC with high crystallinity (72.3%) and uniform nanoscale morphology. The process achieves over 85% solvent recovery, significantly reducing chemical input and waste generation, and offers clear advantages in conversion efficiency, operational simplicity, and environmental compatibility compared to other green strategies such as [DMIM][DMP] (1,3-Dimethylimidazolium dimethyl phosphate), enzymatic hydrolysis, and TEMPO oxidation. Comprehensive structural characterization confirmed the high-quality CNC obtained, while techno-economic evaluation demonstrated the cost-effectiveness and industrial scalability of the process. This work provides an integrated, resource-efficient, and environmentally benign platform for transforming agricultural waste into high-value nanomaterials, contributing to circular material systems and the advancement of sustainable manufacturing.
