Effect of acid concentration on extraction of microcrystalline cellulose from pineapple crown leaf
Fitriani(a), N A Sri Aprilia(b*), N Arahman(b), and M R Bilad(c)

a) Doctoral School of Engineering Science, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Jl. Tgk. Syech Abdul Rauf No. 7 Banda Aceh 4326,
b)Department of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Jl. Tgk. Syech Abdul Rauf No. 7 Banda Aceh 4326,
c)Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 32610, Perak, Malaysia

Abstract

Microcrystalline cellulose was extracted from pineapple crown leaf waste. Pineapple crown leaf is a renewable agricultural residue which is use very rarely as an alternative material. Microcrystalline cellulose was extracted from this waste through sulfuric acid (H2SO4) hydrolysis with different concentrations. Pineapple crown leaf was hydrolyzed for 2 hours at 45℃ along with various sulfuric acid concentrations (1, 2, and 3 M). The effects of the acid concentration on the morphologies and properties of the cellulose were evaluated by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The SEM images showed that the microcrystalline cellulose produced by different sulfuric acid concentrations had a rod-like shape and different sizes. The FTIR analysis showed the removal of non-cellulosic constituents and the chemical compositions of all the samples were the same and represented the cellulose I structure. Various acid concentration impacted on the crystallinity index and crystal size of the microcrystalline cellulose, as was revealed by the XRD analysis. The produced microcrystalline cellulose from pineapple crown leaf waste had better thermal stabilities.

Keywords: Microcrystalline cellulose, pineapple crown leaf, acid concentration

Topic: Chemical Engineering