Isolation of Microfibrilated Cellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) Through Peracetic Acid Delignification and Enzyme Hydrolysis

Abstract

Oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) have high cellulose content, that is equal to 35.66%-57.75%wt. This research aims to convert cellulose fibre from OPEFB into advance biomaterial such as micro and nanofibrilated cellulose through peracetic acid delignification and enzyme hydrolysis. Peracetic acid (PAA) is a strong oxidizer which has been used by previous researchers for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, can act as a bleaching agent and safe for the environment. The delignification process was done with PAA concentration varied from 2.57.5% v/v, within 2-6 hours at 80-85°C. Enzyme hydrolysis with cellulase complex at a concentration 10-25% w/w for 12-48 hours was done to reduce the particle size of cellulose. The cellulose fibre treated with 2.5%v/v PAA for 2 hours delignification time has the highest cellulose content of 81.01%wt. The best enzyme hydrolysis treatment obtained from a 15% enzyme concentration for 24 h hydrolysis time, with the dispersion stability of 60% and average particle size of 822.7 nm. The highest product crystallinity was 25.3%, obtained after 36 h hydrolysis time. Based on the particle size and SEM images result, it was known that enzyme hydrolysis can transform cellulose into microfibrilated cellulose but it is not strong enough to produce nanocellulose.