Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 20 No 5 (2016): 1112 - 1122

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2016-2005-17

 

 

 

THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE FROM OIL PALM BIOMASS

 

(Sifat Terma Mikrokristal Selulosa Daripada Biojisim Tandan Kosong Sawit)

 

Fatin Afifah Ahmad Kuthi¹, Nor Rabbi’atul ‘Adawiyah Norzali¹, Khairiah Haji Badri^1,2*

 

¹School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology

²Polymer Research Center, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: kaybadri@ukm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 10 June 2015; Accepted: 21 July 2016

 

 

Abstract

Extracted cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (OPEFB) was subjected to acid hydrolysis in producing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). The acid hydrolysis was conducted using 1 % (v/v) sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) at varying temperatures of 120, 130 and 140 °C for an hour. The relationship between the thermal behavior and physical properties was investigated by thermogravimety (TGA/DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as well as x-ray diffractometry (XRD). The hydrolyzed MCC at 120 °C (MCC_A) showed the highest thermal stability temperature and percentage of crystallinity at 250 °C and 65.07% respectively. However, hydrolyzed MCC at 130 °C (MCC_B) and 140 °C (MCC_C) exhibited low thermal stability temperature at 225 °C and 220 °C respectively. The percentage of crystallinity obtained for MCC_B and MCC_C was 61.18% and 60.64% respectively. This study revealed that the degree of crystallinity for cellulose has positive impact on the thermal degradation temperature of the OPEFB-MCC.

 

Keywords:  acid hydrolysis, microcrystalline cellulose, oil palm empty fruit bunch, thermal behavior

 

Abstrak

Selulosa yang diestrak dari serabut tandan kosong sawit (STKS) dihidrolisis menggunakan asid bagi menghasilkan mikrokristal selulosa (MKS). Hidrolisis berasid dijalankan dengan menggunakan 1 % (v/v) asid sulfurik (H₂SO₄) pada suhu yang divariasikan iaitu 120, 130 dan 140 °C selama sejam. Hubungan antara sifat terma dan sifat fizikal dikaji berdasarkan analisis termogravimetri (TGA/DTG), anlisis kalorimetri imbasan kebezaan (DSC) serta kaedah pembelauan sinar-X (XRD). Peningkatan suhu hidrolisis menunjukkan kesan yang kontra terhadap sifat terma STKS-MKS. MKS yang dihidrolisis pada suhu 120 °C (MKS_A) menunjukkan suhu kestabilan terma dan peratus kehabluran yang paling tinggi iaitu masing-masing pada 250 °C dan 65.07%. MKS yang dihdrolisis pada 130 °C (MKS_B) dan 140 °C (MKS_C) mempamerkan suhu kestabilan terma yang rendah iaitu masing masing pada suhu 225 °C dan 220 °C. Peratus kehabluran yang diperoleh bagi MKS_B dan MKS_C masing-masing adalah 61.18% dan 60.64%. Kajian ini memberi indikasi bahawa darjah kehabluran selulosa memberi kesan positif kepada suhu degradasi terma TKKS-MKS.

 

Kata kunci:  hidrolisis berasid, mikrokristal selulosa,  serabut tandan kosng kelapa sawit, sifat terma

 

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