Synthesis of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCS) from oil palm empty fruit bunch by hydrothermal with pre-treatment sonication

Abstract

An study to produce cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) was presented through hydrothermal proses and sonication pretreatment. The influence of molarity, reaction time and acid to cellulose ratio were studied to the yield, crystallinity, chemical structure of resulted CNCs. Hydrolysis reaction at temperature 110°C using catalyst hydrochloric acid 1 M, with reaction time 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour. The highest yield of up to 48,802%, crystallinity until 72.33%, obtained at catalyst 1M with reaction time 2 hour. All x-ray diffraction patern shown diffraction peak at angle 2? = 22,6° and low diffraction peak pattern at break 2? = 18°, it is indicated that the sonication process can help increase the crystallinity of the CNCs. Infrared spectroscopy showed a good spectrum with wide peaks of cellulose crystal area at a wave number of 1100 cm-, this shows that CNCs have been deletion of lignin and hemicellulose.