Optimization of Reaction Conditions for Preparing Carboxymethyl Cellulose from Bamboo Scraps by Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is mainly prepared from cotton linter and wood pulp. The bamboo scraps is a kind of natural lignocellulosic material with rich cellulose content. In this paper, the manufacture process of CMC from pre-treated bamboo scraps was reported. Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology were implemented for optimizing the reaction conditions in the light of single factor experiments. The results proved that the optimal factors of carboxymethyl reaction were: Pre-treated bamboo powder (contained 91.7% α-cellulose) was added into aqueous ethanol with sodium hydroxide solution, the alkalization kept at 33.6°C for 120min; subsequently, etherifying agent chloroacetic aicd was put into the system and etherification carried out at 54.6°C for 138min. After this preparation process, the product's viscosity of its 1% water solution was 233 mPa⋅s.