Production of Esterified Nanofibrillated Cellulose from a Lesser-known Wood Species (Macaranga hypoleuca)

Macaranga hypoleuca, a lesser-known and rarely used wood species, is a pioneer species in the secondary succession that is classified as a fast-growing plant with long fibers. M. hypoleuca was composed of holocellulose, lignin, and extractives, at contents of 68.1 ± 0.5%, 25.5 ± 0.6%, and 4.7 ± 0.1%, respectively. In this study, refined M. hypoleuca pulp was treated by alkali treatment, delignification, and maleic acid hydrolysis. The pre-treated pulp was further disintegrated by mechanical treatment, which produced nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with a yield of 53.5 ± 2.7%. The average diameter of the NFC was 43.0 ± 4.9 nm. The use of maleic acid (C₄H₄O₄) hydrolysis also reduced the hydrophilicity of the NFC, as confirmed by the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. It was determined that the Macaranga tree is a suitable lignocellulose source to produce NFC, which can be used in transparent flexible substrates, coating, and composite applications.