A novel approach for producing stable cellulose nanocrystal colloidal suspensions via hydrodynamic cavitation

Achieving stable dispersion of cellulose-based nanomaterials is critical for preserving their properties and enabling various applications. This study investigates hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) as an efficient method for dispersing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) produced via enzymatic hydrolysis, comparing its performance with the conventional ultrasonication (US) method. HC successfully dispersed CNCs at a concentration of 0.2 % w/v in just 10 min, maintaining excellent colloidal stability after several days with minimal changes in particle size and transparency. In contrast, CNCs dispersed using US exhibited significant agglomeration and loss of colloidal stability. Additionally, CNCs dispersed via HC demonstrated strong potential as a gelling agent, as evidenceed by their use in formulating of a transparent gel-based hand sanitizer, positioning them as efficient alternative to commercial gels. Importantly, HC achieved up to ten times greater energy efficiency than US, with substantially lower energy dissipation per kilogram of CNC. This improved efficiency highlights HC advantages for large-scale industrial applications, offering sustainable and cost-effective solutions for nanomaterial production.