2023 chapter

Date Palm Byproducts for Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives Production

In Date Palm Byproducts: A Springboard for Circular Bio Economy (pp. 129–137).

By: H. EL-Mously*, M. Midani* & E. Darwish*

Source: ORCID
Added: January 28, 2024

Nanofibrillated cellulose and cellulose nanocrystals were extracted from date palm midribs and successfully used in the reinforcement of nanocomposites (latex). Microfibrillated cellulose and oxidized microfibrillated cellulose were extracted from date palm midribs and successfully used for the improvement of paper sheet properties. Enzymatic treatment was used for the isolation of microfibrillated cellulose from date palm fruit stalks dominantly treated as waste. Microcrystalline cellulose having wide applications in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics applications has been isolated from date palm stalks with a yield of 35.4%. Its high crystallinity (79.4%) endowing it with high rigidity opens a great potentiality for its use as a reinforcing material in nanocomposites. Oxidized nanocellulose has been successfully extracted from date palm leaf sheath fibers and used as a packaging additive for better packaging properties. Cellulose whiskers were successfully extracted from date palm midribs and leaflets and characterized. Only cellulose whiskers extracted from midribs were used in the reinforcement of nanocomposites (rubber) due to their higher geometrical characteristics (higher aspect ratio). Microfibrillated cellulose was successfully extracted from date palm fruit stalks using enzymatic treatment. This proves the economic and developmental potentiality of realizing such a high value-added product from date palm fruit stalks dominantly treated as waste.