Utilization of Empty Oil Palm Fruit Bunches as a Source of Nanocrystalline Cellulose through the Acetic Acid Hydrolysis Method
Keywords:
Acetic Acid Hydrolysis, Cellulose Nanocrystals, Empty Fruit Bunches, Palm Oil Waste, XRD, SEMAbstract
This study investigates the production of nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) derived from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) using acetic acid hydrolysis as a greener alternative to conventional mineral-acid-based hydrolysis. The effects of acetic acid concentration (2–10%), hydrolysis time (2–6 h), and temperature (160–200°C) were examined regarding CNC yield, particle size, zeta potential, chemical structure, crystallinity, and morphology. The result shows the CNC yield increased from 78.17% to 87.39% at 8% acid concentration, then decreased at 10% due to over-hydrolysis. With the variation of acetic acid concentration from 2 to 10%, the particle size was reduced from 1200 nm to 639 nm, while zeta potential values ranged from –18.62 to –22.80 mV indicating moderate to good colloidal stability. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) confirmed the removal of lignin and hemicellulose. XRD analysis showed sharper peaks at 2θ ≈ 22.6°, signifying increased crystallinity, and SEM revealed rod-like CNC structures with smoother surfaces at higher acid concentrations. The results demonstrate that OPEFB is a promising raw material for environmentally friendly CNC production, with optimal performance obtained at 8–10% acetic acid.
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