Sustainable microcrystalline cellulose extracted from biowaste Tephrosia purpurea leaves: biomass exfoliation and physicochemical characterisation

Bio-based utilisation is common in nowadays, and most of the researchers focus on the extraction of bioproducts from biowaste materials. By precisely using a chemical process, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is extracted from the leaves of the bio-based material Tephrosia purpurea plant (TPL). Intense research has been devoted to investigating functional qualities, including but not limited to crystallinity, density, particle size, and surface shape. Utilising FT-IR, scientists analysed the organisation of the structure and identified links in the cellulose. It has been determined that the density of cellulose is 1.489 g/cm³. Scanning electron microscopy images depict an object characterised by a cylindrical and spherical morphology, as well as a rough exterior. The crystallite size was determined to be 15.68 nm, and the crystallinity index was computed to be 54.56% through the utilisation of X-ray diffraction. According to the thermal analysis data obtained from the DTG curves, the isolated cellulose degrades at a maximum rate of 367.63 °C. Cellulose degrades to its maximal extent at this temperature; further degradation does not occur. Using ImageJ software to analyse the particle sizes, it was determined that the majority of them had a diameter of 100–150 µm. Surface roughness data analysed by atomic force microscopy reveal vertical, considerably peaked planes with negative kurtosis. Hence, the properties of cellulose have been comprehensively elucidated, suggesting promising prospects for its potential implementation in forthcoming bio-based material systems.