Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activities of Cellulose Nano Crystals Isolated from Borassus flabellifer

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are emerging as a highly promising class of nanomaterials due to their unique combination of mechanical strength, biodegradability, and sustainability. This study focuses on the synthesis and comprehensive characterization of CNCs derived from agricultural by-products aiming to explore their potential applications in fields such as nanocomposites, biomedical devices, and environmentally friendly packaging materials. CNCswere synthesized from Borassus flabelliferthrough acid hydrolysis a well-established method that selectively removes the amorphous regions of cellulose, leaving behind highly crystalline nanostructures. The hydrolysis process was optimized by varying parameters such as temperature, reaction time, and acid concentration to achieve maximum yield and crystallinity. The synthesised cellulose nanocrystals were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM. Zeta potential. analysis and anti-microbial studies were carried out to find out thestability and sensitive of CNCs towards bacteria and fungi.