PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE NANOCRYSTALS FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH AND PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBRE USING DOUBLE OXIDATION APPROACH

Cellulose nanocrystasl (CNC) were produced from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) and pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) using double oxidation treatment comprising bleaching and ammonium persulfate (APS) treatments. Different techniques were used to characterise the extracted CNC. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra confirmed the formation of carboxyl group and decreasing fractions of non-cellulosic components. The CNCs from both fibres show a better crystallinity index than the raw fibre, and the CNCs also conform to the crystalline structure of cellulose I. Morphology analysis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the CNCs of EFB and PALF have different shapes and dimensions. Spherical EFB had a 16.33 +/- 8.5 nm diameter, while rod-like PALF had 13.07 +/- 6.15 nm and 78.67 +/- 38.07 nm diameter and length. However, the thermal stability of both CNCs decreased slightly. Hence, the findings indicate that the double oxidation approach using agricultural biomass wastes can work as an alternative route for the preparation of CNCs.