The ever-growing demand for sustainable and biodegradable materials has shifted the research focus toward the development of value-added products derived from lignocellulosic biomass. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are nanomaterials obtained from the crystalline regions of cellulose. These high-performance materials have gained significant attention due to their renewability and unique mechanical, optical, and chemical characteristics, including high surface area, high aspect ratio, and modifiable surface groups. Lignocellulosic biomass having a high cellulose content is considered a potential source for high value-added production. This study focuses on developing a biorefinery approach for sustainable production of CNCs from forest residue biomass (FRB). FRB generated from harvesting operations, including tops and branches and low-grade material, is available in abundance and is one of the lowest-cost feedstocks available. Integrating efficient CNC production within a forest-based sustainable biorefinery will offer a promising strategy to address the economic and environmental challenges associated with conventional methods. This study uses the Sugar maple FRB, collected from the SUNY ESF Heiberg Memorial Forest. Biomass contained about 8% extractives, 41% glucans, 15% xylans, and 25% lignin. We will develop various processing strategies to efficiently fractionate FRB into its major constituent – cellulose, C5 sugars, and lignin. The extracted high-purity cellulose will be used for CNC production. CNC extracted from cellulose will be characterized to analyze the morphological and physicochemical properties. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy will be used to analyze the presence of different functional groups and bonds in synthesized CNC. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis would help in understanding the morphological changes. Morphology and CNC dimensions will be assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. Additionally, the study also aims to explore ways to valorize hemicellulose and lignin fractions, enabling the co-production of high-value bioproducts. This approach will help maximize resource utilization and value-added production. With the exploration of FRB as a feedstock, the study addresses key sustainability goals – reduction in raw material costs, curtailing waste generation, and promoting a circular bioeconomy approach. The current study contributes to advancements in sustainable nanomaterials production while encouraging high-value utilization of forestry residues.
Keywords: Biorefinery; Cellulose Nanocrystals; Forest Residue Biomass; Lignocellulosic biomass.
