This study presents a sustainable and integrative approach for the valorization of agroindustrial residues—sorghum stover, corn stover, and sugarcane bagasse—through the production of cellulosic fibers and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) using and integrated low-impact strategies. An integrated route combining organosolv pulping, elemental chlorine-free bleaching, and TEMPO-mediated oxidation was employed to convert abundant agricultural waste into high-value bio-based materials. Efficient removal of lignin and hemicellulose was confirmed by comprehensive physicochemical characterization. The resulting TEMPO-oxidized CNFs exhibited high surface charge, colloidal stability, and distinct structural features depending on the biomass source. Sorghum stover yielded CNFs with superior fibrillar uniformity, high crystallinity (81%), and enhanced dispersion, while corn stover provided the highest cellulose yield but showed lower thermal stability. Sugarcane bagasse produced CNFs with a higher degree of polymerization and more gradual thermal degradation, indicating a compact and robust structure. These findings demonstrate that underutilized agricultural residues can be effectively transformed into functional nanocellulose through low-impact processes, supporting circular economy strategies and offering sustainable alternatives for polymer-based materials, biocomposites, packaging, and filtration applications.
Cancino et al. (Sun,) studied this question.