Cellulose nanocrystals extracted from okra fibers in PVA nanocomposites

Abstract Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were extracted from okra bahmia ( Abelmoschus Esculentus ) bast fibers and inserted in different tenors (1, 2, 5, and 10 wt %) as the reinforcement of a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. The extraction of cellulose was carried out in a two‐step procedure: the first chemical treatment led to the production of holocellulose by the gradual removal of lignin, while the subsequent sulphuric acid hydrolysis process allowed obtaining cellulose nanocrystals in an aqueous suspension. The dispersion of CNC in the composite appeared effective at low cellulose content (1 wt %), while it presented more problems for higher contents. However, a 5 wt % cellulose content proved ideal to promote a direct mechanical interaction between the PVA…