Process for the preparation of essential oils modified nanocellulose and application thereof

A process for the preparation of essential oil modified nanocellulose, comprising the steps of:

• a) treating cotton rag with a base at a temperature in the range of 70-90 degree C. for a time period in the range of 2 to 4 hours to form alkali treated cotton rag;
• b) subjecting bleaching treatment on the cotton rag of step (a) by using acetate buffer and sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide at a temperature in the range of 70-90 degree C. for a period of 2 hours;
• repeating steps a)-b) for 2 to 3 times to make the fibers white and washing with distilled water until pH becomes neutral to form washed bleached pulp;
• c) grinding the pulp obtained in step (b) to form cellulose nanofibers (CNF);
• d) dispersing the cellulose nanofibers obtained in step (c) in water to form a suspension;
• e) adding 2,2,6,6 tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO), sodium bromide (NaBr) and sodium hypochlorite into the suspension of step (d) to form a first reaction mixture, adjusting the pH of the first reaction mixture to 10-11 followed by stirring at a temperature of 30 degree C. for the time period of 4 to 5 hours to obtain a solution of TEMPO oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TO-CNF);
• f) adding borane dimethylsulfide (BH3-SMe2) or BH3 into a eugenol solution in solvent to form a second reaction mixture;
• stirring the second reaction mixture at a temperature of 0 to minus 5 degree C. for a period of 1 to 2 hours and further stirring the second reaction mixture at a temperature of 25 to 30 degree C. for a period ranging from 1 to 2 hours;
• g) cooling the second reaction mixture of step (f) to a temperature in the range of 0 to minus 5 degree C., adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and H2O2 into the second reaction mixture to form a third reaction mixture followed by stirring the third reaction mixture at a temperature in the range of 0 to minus 5 degree C. for a period of 30 min to 1 hour and stirring at a temperature of 25 to 30 degree C. for a period ranging from 1 to 2 hours to obtain 4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenol;
• h) adding 4-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) or triethyl amine or diisopropylethyl amine and 4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenol into the solution of TO-CNF as obtained in step (e) in solvent dimethyl formamide followed by cooling the mixture at a temperature in the range of 0 to minus 5 degree C. to form a fourth reaction mixture;
• i) adding the coupling reagent Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) to the fourth reaction mixture obtained in step (h) followed by stirring at a temperature of 0 to minus 5 degree C. for a period of 30 min to 1 hour and further stirring at a temperature in the range of 25 to 30 degree C. for a period ranging from 24 to 26 hours to obtain the desired essential oil modified nanocellulose.