Synthesis of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose Based on Pretreated Bamboo Shaving

Abstract

Bamboo shaving is a by-product of bamboo industry, often be discarded or incinerated. In this work, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was prepared from pretreated bamboo shaving as raw material, while the main reaction conditions affecting product properties such as pretreated method, alkalization temperature and time, etherified temperature and time were studied. The results showed that the optimized pretreated conditions for bamboo cellulose were soaked in 15% NaOH at 1:8 (w/v) ratio of cellulose to solvent for 1 h at 95°C, The content of α-cellulose reach to 94.25%. The optimized reaction conditions for CMC synthesis were alkalified at 30°C for 70 min and etherified at 55°C for 90min; afterwards, temperature was kept at 70°C for 10min. Under these conditions, viscosity of 1% CMC aqueous solution was above 260 mPa·s, degree of substitution (DS)≥0.8, and content of chloride and moisture were less than 1.2 % and 10 % respectively.