Effects of chemical treatment on the structure and morphology of bacterial cellulose film

Abstract

Development of extraction process of Bacterial Cellulose (BC) using chemical treatment in order to be developed as reinforcement in the composite product to improve fiber compatibility of BC in polymer metric. This study aimed to know the effect of chemical treatment against the structure and morphology of BC film. The methods used to make a film from BC fiber obtained from pineapples' peels waste. Pellicle was fermented for 14 days then washed by distilled water prior to treatment. Pellicle soaked in a chemical solution such as NaOH, H2O2, Bmimcl with each concentration of 2.5% for 2 hours then dried in the oven and the result was analyzed using SEM and XRD. The result showed that chemical treatment against BC decreased the intensity and crystallite size. On distilled water immersion (as control), the highest peak diffraction located in peak 22.63 °2θ with intensity of 292.31 counts, the crystallite size of 10.01 nm, after NaOH, H2O2 and BmimCl chemical treatment, the peak intensity decreased consecutively to 251.19 counts, 269.32 counts, and 241.49 counts as well as crystallite size decrease to 3.61 nm, 4.07 nm, and 5.11 nm, respectively. SEM observation showed that BC film treated using distilled water wasn't damaged, while fiber and pellicle which treated using NaOH had a lot of damage.