Synthesis of Nanocellulose Facilitated by Ionic Liquid using Pongamia pinnata as Biomass Resource

The successful transformation of cellulose into nanocellulose was conducted from Pongamia pinnata utilizing ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-imidazolium chloride, as a swelling agent and catalyst. The SEM analysis revealed the presence of a fibrillar structure, disordered agglomerates, highly organized and smooth nanofibers. The studies confirmed the presence of thread-like structures and the existence of strong intermolecular linkages as that of cellulose. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that the semicrystalline nature of nanocellulose retained and exhibited stable thermal characteristics. The utilization of 1-butyl-3-imidazolium chloride as a catalyst and swelling agent has presented an efficient and eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of nanocellulose.