Extraction of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Two Different Agriculture Waste via Chemical Treatment

Abstract

Abstract Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was successfully extracted from coconut husk fibre (CHF) and pineapple leaf fibres (PLF) using alkali and bleaching treatments. The extracted cellulose from the chemical treatments were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis revealed that the extracted microcellulose from CHF and PLF using chemical treatments have high crystallinity. The thermal stability analysis of the extracted microcrystalline celluloses was investigated revealed that the CHF and PLF lose their lignin and hemicellulose during chemical treatments. Morphological investigation using SEM shows that chemical treatment could remove the layer of extractives from surface of CHF and PLF.