A LOW COST AND HIGH YIELD CHEMO-MECHANICAL SYNTHESIS OF NANOFIBERS OF 5-100 NM SIZE FROM THE AQUATIC WEED CATTAIL

摘要

Cattail was processed using chemical and mechanical treatments to obtain nanofibers. In this process, obtained fibers were in the size ranging between 5-100 nm of various lengths. Chemical treatments bleaching, alkali extraction and controlled acid hydrolysis and mechanical treatments involving cryocrushing / mechanical high shear disintegration, homogenization and sonication were used to obtain fine nano meter sized fiber. The nanofibers thus obtained were found to have improved crystallinity by X-ray analysis after each process. The nanofibers characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscope of synthesized material. The material was successfully used in the synthesis of transparent biofilms of micrometer length.