ECO-FRIENDLY EXTRACTION, CHARACTERIZATION AND MODIFICATION OF MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES

• Main Author: NAZIR, MUHAMMAD SHAHID
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/id/eprint/22106/1/2013%20-CHEMICAL%20-%20ECO-FRIENDLY%20EXTRACTION%2C%20CHARACTERIZATION%20AND%20MODIFICATION%20OF%20MICROCRYSTALLINE%20CELLULOSE%20FROM%20OIL%20PALM%20EMPTY%20FRUIT%20BUNCHES%20-%20MUHAMMAD%20SHAHID%20NAZIR.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/id/eprint/22106/

There is a widespread availability and massive generation of oil palm agro-wastes in Malaysia, that can be exploited for value-added products. This however requires coordinated effort to manage the wastes in an integrated manner whilst benefiting from its downstream development. Our study described the utilization of Malaysian agro-wastes such as Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) for the development of green products via green techniques. Eco-Friendly methods for MCCs extraction, development of polypropylene (PP) bio-based composites, and modified MCCs for Pb (II) metal ions sorption and desulphurization of diesel were explored. This study opens avenue for the development of new economic model based on oil palm industry. OPEFBs arc conventionally pre- and post-treated with toxic solvents and chlorites at elevated temperatures. generating toxin chloro-organic pollutants. Our study addressed the eco-friendly extraction of microcrystalline celluloses (MCCs) at low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (1 0% v/v) and formic acid (20% v/v) with ultrasound and heat assistance. Ultrasonic extraction (SONO-CHEM) carried out with hydrogen peroxide at 40 kHz and room temperature. yielded 49% MCC with a cellulose content of 91.3%. and crystallinity of 68. 7%. Autoclave extraction (AUTOCHEM) with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and formic acid at 120°C and further bleached with hydrogen peroxide at 80°C yielded 64% of MCC with a-cellulose content of 93.7% and crystallinity of 70%. Physical and chemical characteristics including density. average molecular weight, degree of polymerization and FESEM, TEM, XRD and TGA analysis showed similarity with the commercially available MCC that suggesting the purity and efficacy of developed methods.