Abstract
Bark from trees is considered a worthless raw material. However, this resource could be economically beneficial if utilized efficiently due to its rich chemical compounds. In this study, an ethanol toluene-soluble extractive, alpha-cellulose and lignin obtained from Leucaena leucocephala bark were characterized to determine their chemical functional groups. Based on FTIR spectral analysis, the results indicated that the bands of the functional groups of the extractive from the original bark remain unchanged; however, the absorbance intensity was found to be weaker in the group frequency and fingerprint regions. Removal of extractive, pectin, hemicellulose and lignin from the bark indirectly increased the strong absorbance intensity of cellulose. Broad peaks of OH stretching found in all spectra were assigned to the presence of phenolic OH and aliphatic structures for extractive and aromatic structures of lignin. It was revealed that aromatic functional groups were mainly found in the extractive, while water, carbonyl and ether were the dominant groups in cellulose, and methyl, methylene, carbonyl and carboxyl groups were enriched in lignin.Graphic abstract
Highlights
Barks from trees are regarded as worthless biomass residues and wastes and are mostly discarded, burned or used as fuel in the timber and sawmill industries (Lee and Lan 2006; Niokhor et al 2009)
The extractives, cellulose and lignin of L. leucocephala bark were extracted through separation methods before the functional groups were determined
The research results found that the separation of the extractives from the original bark did not change the bands of the functional groups; the absorbance intensity weakened in the group frequency and fingerprint regions
Summary
Barks from trees are regarded as worthless biomass residues and wastes and are mostly discarded, burned or used as fuel in the timber and sawmill industries (Lee and Lan 2006; Niokhor et al 2009). Some studies have reported that barks are rich in chemical compounds and could be beneficial to a variety of fields, ranging from the pharmaceutical industry to green polymers and bio-based materials (Pietarinen et al 2006; Conde et al 1996; Sen et al 2010; Valentín et al 2010). Utilization of these chemical compounds could contribute to environmental conservation and the economy (Niokhor et al 2009). The characterization of chemical compounds and components in bark is vital before exploring their benefits and potential uses
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