Maize Parenchyma to Nanocellulose: A Facile Preparation through High-Speed Shear Induced during Coagulation

Developing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient routes to nanocellulose remains challenging. Herein, we developed a gentle bottom-up strategy to prepare nanocellulose from maize parenchyma by combining concentration regulation with high-speed shear during coagulation. This approach directed cellulose chain aggregation and produced regenerated cellulose particles with irregular edges and sizes of 10−50 nm. The resulting nanocellulose film exhibited a favorable balance of mechanical properties, with a Young’s modulus of 3.10 GPa and a work of fracture of 39.83 MJ m−3. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that constrained shear promoted cellulose chains from random-coil conformations to extended and oriented states, facilitating hydrogen-bond reconstruction and cellulose II ordering. Solid-state 13C CP/MAS NMR further confirmed enhanced molecular ordering, with CrINMR increasing from 48.90% for CF-1.0 to 60.06% for CF-0.2. This work provides a sustainable route for valorizing agricultural waste into high-performance nanocellulose materials.