Isolation of Nanocellulose Fibers (NCF) from Cocoa Pod (Theobroma cacao L.) via Chemical Treatment Combined with Ultrasonication

Isolation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose from cocoa pod husk (CPH) biomass wastes

“…This effort produced aggregates of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) fibrils with 1405 nm–286 nm size distribution. Recently, a modified form of the conventional method in which mild sulphuric acid (1% v/v) was used for the hydrolysis of CPH has been reported ( Jimat et al., 2020 ). In this attempt, CNCs with particle size distribution 200–400 nm were obtained.…”

Optimization of microfibrillated cellulose isolation from cocoa pod husk via mild oxalic acid hydrolysis: A response surface methodology approach

“…The primary residue from cocoa industrialization is cocoa pod husk (CPH), which makes up to 72% of the fruit’s total weight and comprises 35% lignin, 30% cellulose, and 10% hemicellulose [ 8 ]. However, CPH residues currently have no place in the production chain due to inappropriate waste management practices [ 9 ]; therefore, there is an opportunity for the valorization of CPH in the industry [ [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] ].…”

“…Zailani et al (2016) [ 12 ] reported the isolation of CPH cellulose through alkaline treatments and ultrasonication, resulting in nanocellulose with particle sizes down to 280 nm. Jimat et al (2020) [ 13 ] detailed the isolation of cellulose nanofibers through hydrolysis with 1% sulfuric acid, producing fibers with diameters around 200–400 nm. A similar approach was followed by Akijonkun et al (2021) [ 10 ] for the isolation of nanocellulose from CPH with sulfuric acid 64% at 45 °C, leading to polymers with a diameter of around 10–60 nm and a thermal stability temperature up to 351 °C.…”