Method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259725-B2
Application number	US-201615396307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2016
Priority date	Dec 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds includes providing washed and dried date palm seeds, milling the date palm seeds to a fine powder, adding a bleaching agent to the fine powder to separate cellulose from the powder, placing the cellulose in a container with an acid solution to form a mixture, heating the mixture, isolating cellulose crystals from the mixture, and reducing the particle size of the cellulose crystals in the solution to provide cellulose nano-crystals. The particle size can be reduced by adding the cellulose crystals to a quantity of water to form a solution, and ultrasonicating the solution at about 90% amplitude for about 45 minutes to form cellulose nano-crystals. The cellulose nano-crystals can have a size ranging from about 5 nm to about 100 nm.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds, comprising:
providing date palm seeds;
milling the date palm seeds to a fine powder;
adding a bleaching agent to the powder to separate cellulose from the powder;
combining the cellulose with an acid solution to form a mixture;
heating the mixture to form cellulose crystals;
isolating cellulose crystals from the mixture, wherein isolating the cellulose crystals from the mixture includes centrifuging the mixture at a speed of about 10,000 rpm and at a temperature of about 10° C.; and
reducing the particle size of the cellulose crystals to provide cellulose nano-crystals.

2. The method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds according to claim 1 , further comprising washing the cellulose crystals with distilled water and storing at about 4° C.

3. The method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds according to claim 1 , wherein the bleaching agent comprises at least one of sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide.

4. The method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds according to claim 1 , wherein the acid is sulfuric acid.

5. The method of synthesizing cellulose crystals from date palm seeds according to claim 1 , wherein the particle size of the cellulose crystals is reduced by adding the cellulose crystals in a quantity of water to form a solution; and ultrasonicating the solution at about 90% amplitude for about 45 minutes to form the cellulose nano-crystals.

6. The method of synthesizing cellulose crystals from date palm seeds according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of heat pressing the cellulose nano-crystals in a heat press at a temperature of about 105° C. and at an effective amount of applied pressure for about 10 minutes to provide the nano-filter.

7. A method of synthesizing cellulose nano-crystals from date palm seeds, comprising:
providing date palm seeds;
milling the date palm seeds to a fine powder;
adding a bleaching agent to the powder to separate cellulose from the powder;
combining the cellulose with an acid solution to form a mixture;
heating the mixture to form cellulose crystals;
isolating cellulose crystals from the mixture; and
reducing the particle size of the cellulose crystals to provide cellulose nano-crystals, wherein the particle size of the cellulose crystals is reduced by adding the cellulose crystals in a quantity of water to form a solution and ultrasonicating the solution at about 90% amplitude for about 45 minutes to form the cellulose nano-crystals.

Assignees

• Univ United Arab Emirates

Inventors

• Alkendi Ruwaya
• Sagaya Victor

Classifications

• C02F1/36

  ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title

• B01D67/0004

  by agglomeration of particles · CPC title

• B01D2323/08

  Specific temperatures applied · CPC title

• C02F1/442 Primary

  by nanofiltration · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title