Production and characterization of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) from agricultural waste corn stover.

Agricultural waste corn stover has little economic value. Cellulose was extracted from corn stover by the processes of alkali treatment and delignification, resulting in a > 93% purity. The particle size of the extracted cellulose was reduced by mechanical shearing through high pressure homogenization.

Preparation of starch-poly-glutamic acid graft copolymers by microwave irradiation and the characterization of their properties.

Graft copolymers of waxy maize starch and poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) were produced in an aqueous solution using microwave irradiation. The microwave reaction conditions were optimized with regard to temperature and pH. The temperature of 180°C and pH7.