Method simplifies production and can permit industrial use of value and sustainable material
Imagem: Divulgação CNPEM
A new undergraduate research study conducted at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) presents an important advance for large-scale production of nanocellulose: an ultrafine version of natural plant fiber. This sustainable high-tech material has applications that range from package manufacturing to biomedicine.
The study by Pedro Alonso, a FAPESP fellow at CNPEM and chemistry undergraduate at UNICAMP at the time the research was conducted, describes a simplified process for obtaining oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNFs) directly from sugarcane bagasse, an abundant by-product of Brazilian agribusiness.
Unlike traditional methods that involve multiple chemical steps and high energy consumption, the new approach enables oxidation directly within the biomass, reducing the need for intensive mechanical treatments and simplifying the production process.
“The place where scientific research meets industrial application has always interested me, since it is very challenging to adapt an innovative technology (like cellulose nanofibers) from a laboratory scale to the industrial scale where it can truly become a real solution in people’s lives. In this sense, working at CNPEM was a major differential in bringing these two worlds together. We had access to cutting-edge techniques like advanced chemical and microscopic analyses to study and improve the process while it was still in the laboratory phase, as well as the pilot plant facilities where we were able to validate it on a larger scale that more closely resembles the reality of manufacturing,” he explained.
By demonstrating a simpler, more efficient and scalable process, the study paves the way toward transforming agricultural waste into high value-added products, contributing to the bioeconomy and the transition to sustainable materials.
“The infrastructure available at CNPEM, especially the Pilot Plant for Process Development, was essential to advance this technology, since it made it possible to move beyond proof of concept in the laboratory and validate the process in an industrially relevant environment. Additionally, the continuous interaction between the process scale-up and scientific development teams was fundamental to attain a truly innovative process, with greater operational robustness, simplified steps and clear potential for industrial application,” said the leader of the CNPEM bioprocess scaling group, Carlos Filho.
“This is a light and nontoxic nanomaterial with very interesting mechanical properties that permit applications in various areas such as construction and food production. One advantage is that it can replace petroleum-derived polymers. There are still regulatory limitations in Brazil, but this material has already been investigated and applied in other countries,” said CNPEM researcher Juliana da Silva Bernardes, who was the corresponding author of the study.
“The difference in this project was that it simplifies the production process. Instead of multiple steps, we can have production in a single step, reducing energy consumption and facilitating scaling. We also were able to scale up by up to 500 times, moving out of the laboratory to pilot scale production with a simpler process that does not require high pressures or temperatures,” noted Bernardes.
The method also ensures guaranteed high yields of cellulose (approximately 91%) and nano-scale nanofibrils with high colloidal stability and properties well-suited for industrial applications.
From waste to advanced material
Nanocellulose is considered one of today’s most promising materials because it is renewable, biodegradable and highly versatile. It can be utilized in sustainable packaging, light and resistant composites, electronic devices, drug release systems and environmental remediation.
However, large-scale adoption of this resource is still limited by the difficulty of industrial production, a challenge that the new research seeks to overcome.
About CNPEM (https://cnpem.br/)
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment with activities on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) with input from the Ministries of Education and Health, CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. CNPEM is responsible for Sirius, the country’s largest scientific research infrastructure, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. Research and development activities at CNPEM are conducted by its National Laboratories in the areas of Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology.
