PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF REGENERATED KENAF CELLULOSE MEMBRANE: USING H2SO4 AS COAGULANT

Regenerated kenaf cellulose membranes were prepared by dissolving cellulose in a cellulose solvent of sodium hydroxide and urea, followed by coagulating in a sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solution. Different coagulant concentrations and coagulation reaction times were applied to study the morphology, physical and mechanical properties of the prepared cellulose membrane. The crystallinity index, surface morphology, mechanical performance and transparency of cellulose membrane were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VPSEM), tensile tests and UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), respectively. The results revealed changes in the pore size of the cellulose membranes, which were correlated with the concentration of sulfuric acid coagulant. However, the pore size of the membranes was not significantly affected by the coagulation time. Cellulose membranes that had been coagulated in lower concentration sulfuric acid with moderate coagulation time showed desirable mechanical properties. Thus, this study reports a favorable reaction time and coagulant concentration to fabricate regenerated cellulose membranes with desired physical properties.