Physicochemical Characteristics of Cellulose Derived from Oil Palm Trunk Waste (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

Abstract

Oil palm trunk waste is a lignocellulosic biomass with great potential to be utilized as a cellulose source for various sustainable industrial applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of H₂O₂ and NaOH bleaching ratios on the physicochemical characteristics of cellulose isolated from oil palm trunks. The isolation process was carried out through a delignification stage using 10% NaOH solution at 80°C for 120 minutes, followed by a bleaching process using a combination of 10% H₂O₂ and 10% NaOH at ratios of 1:1 (HN1), 1:2 (HN2), and 1:3 (HN3). The study employed a non-factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. The parameters analyzed included yield, moisture content, ash content, and functional group characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the bleaching treatment significantly affected cellulose yield, moisture content, and ash content (p < 0.05). Cellulose yield decreased from 75.94% in the control treatment to 67.02% (HN1), 66.53% (HN2), and 60.53% (HN3), indicating a more intensive removal of lignin and hemicellulose. Moisture content increased after the bleaching process, with the highest value observed in HN1 at 3.63%, while ash content decreased significantly from 2.77% in the control treatment to 1.85% in both HN2 and HN3. FTIR analysis revealed a reduction in the intensity of lignin aromatic groups and an increased dominance of cellulose characteristic functional groups in the HN3 treatment. Based on the results, the H₂O₂:NaOH bleaching ratio of 1:3 was the most effective treatment for improving the purity of oil palm trunk cellulose through the removal of non-cellulosic components and mineral impurities.