Evaluation of Waste Office Paper and Waste Newsprint as a Resource for Nanocellulose

Abstract

Two types of wastepaper and a filter paper as a reference cellulose source were used for nanocellulose production. The production process of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) was conducted via mechanical disintegration following TEMPO oxidation, while the sulfuric acid hydrolysis method was applied for cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) production. The equivalent spherical diameters of CNFs were determined as 1520 nm for waste office paper (OP), 4920 nm for waste newsprint (NP), and 2180 nm for filter paper (FP). In contrast, the equivalent spherical diameters of CNCs were found to be 652 nm for OP, 2110 nm for NP, and 1090 nm for FP. The maximum crystallinity index was established to be 96.9% in the FP-CNC sample. Thermal degradation of raw material and deinked fiber samples for three different paper types occurred between 270 and 390 °C. Thermal degradation of CNF and CNC obtained from these paper types measured in the range of 240 to 360 °C and 140 to 600 °C, respectively. The FTIR analysis revealed chemical bond structures, such as O–H, C–H, C–O, C=O, CH₂, C–C, C–O–C, etc., forming in the raw material, deinked fiber, CNF, and CNC of the samples. Especially considering their crystallinity and thermal properties, it can be said that waste office paper is more suitable for nanocellulose production than waste newsprint.