Open Access Received: 22 April 2026   |   Accepted: 06 May 2026   |   Published: 02 July 2026

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OXIDIZED NANOCELLULOSE: STRUCTURAL AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Fayruza M. Urishova¹, Makhliyo M. Kuzieva¹, Dilnavoz G. Batirova¹, Abdumutolib A. Atakhanov¹, Nurbek Sh. Ashurov¹, Dmitriy I. Shiman²

¹ Institute of Polymer Chemistry and Physics, Uzbekistan, Tashkent, St. Abdulla Kadyri 7^“b”
2 Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems of the Belarusian State University, Minsk, Belarus

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Abstract. The use of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) as an oxidizing agent provides a relatively straightforward yet effective route for tailoring the structure of cellulose under acidic conditions. In this work, microcrystalline cellulose (MСС) was subjected to KMnO₄ oxidation to obtain oxidized nanocellulose (ONС), and the transformation is quite evident both structurally and functionally. The oxidation process led to a noticeable decrease in crystallinity (from about 79% in MСС to nearly 59% in ONС), which suggests that not only amorphous regions were affected, but also parts of the ordered domains were partially disrupted. At the same time, fragmentation of cellulose from micro- to nanoscale dimensions was observed, which is important for increasing surface activity and reactivity. Spectroscopic analyses, including FTIR and UV–Vis, confirmed the successful incorporation of carboxyl groups, while XRD results pointed to a partial loss of the native cellulose I structure. Interestingly, the degree of oxidation varied depending on synthesis time, reaching around 18.58% and 9.3% for 480 and 600 minutes, respectively, although this trend seems a bit non-linear and could deserve further clarification. Particle size measurements obtained via dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy indicated nanoscale features in the range of roughly 100–220 nm, which aligns well with expected nanocellulose dimensions. The oxidized nanocellulose displayed pronounced gel-forming ability in alkaline media. Rheological measurements demonstrated typical non-Newtonian behavior, with the storage modulus (G′) exceeding the loss modulus (G″) across a broad range of deformation amplitudes and frequencies, indicating predominantly elastic properties. Depending on the processing conditions, ONС-based materials were successfully fabricated in several forms, including powders, hydrogels, cryogels, films, and nanofibers. The obtained materials exhibit promising potential for applications in polymer composites, hydrogel systems, and other advanced functional materials.

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Key words. microcrystalline cellulose, oxidized nanocellulose, potassium permanganate, hydrogels, electrospinning.


DOI: 10.66640/UJP-2026-5-00007

*Corresponding author: Fayruza M. Urishova, Institute of Polymer Chemistry and Physics, Uzbekistan, Tashkent, St. Abdulla Kadyri 7^“b”

Citation: Fayruza M. Urishova, Makhliyo M. Kuzieva, Dilnavoz G. Batirova, Abdumutolib A. Atakhanov, Nurbek Sh. Ashurov, Dmitriy I. Shiman, PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OXIDIZED NANOCELLULOSE: STRUCTURAL AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES. Uzbekistan Journal of Polymers, Vol. 5(2) 2026: pp.5-18. DOI: 10.66640/UJP-2026-5-00007

©2026 Uzbekistan Journal of Polymers