Extraction and physicochemical characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from canal weed (Eichhornia crassipes) biomass: Biomass valorization approach.

Most plant-based materials contain cellulose, a common biopolymer. Research in the scientific community is presently centered on waste management. Plants abundant in phytochemicals are now widely used. In this study, we focused on the future and used canal weed (Eichhornia crassipes) as a raw material. The extraction method used chemical procedures such as bleaching, acid hydrolysis, and alkali treatment. The presence of several functional groups in the cellulose was identified using Fourier transform spectroscopy. The extracted cellulose had a density of 1.314 g/cm and a yield percentage of 50.26 %. Degradation occurred at a temperature of 317.32 °C, according to the differential thermogram curve analysis. According to X-ray diffraction research, the crystallinity index (50.32 %) and crystalline size (25.78 nm) were both higher in cellulose. Other distinguishing features, such as particle size analysis, surface roughness, and surface morphology, were determined using ImageJ software. By revealing a higher carbon and oxygen content, the elemental analysis confirmed that cellulose is organic. The surface roughness parameters were higher for the horizontal direction compared to the vertical axes. The properties of microcrystalline cellulose could be applicable as a lightweight polymer composite filler, a coating material in pharmaceuticals, and as an additive in the food industry.