LAUSR

In the current research, high-purity natural cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from bamboo leaf (BL) was successfully obtained via a combination of chemical pretreatment and ultrasonic technique. The as-prepared CNF was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA−DTG). The as-obtained CNF had an average diameter of 53.2 nm and a high aspect ratio of about 5600. The crystallinity of CNF was 55%, which increased by 27% compared to that of the raw BL. With further modification by methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), the aerogel derived from the obtained CNF through a freeze-drying process showed superior multifunctions of superabsorbent performance, thermal insulation, and sound absorption. The study might provide a new family of nature-based nanocellulose. POLYM. COMPOS., 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers