Abstract
This study reports the extraction of cellulose by means of an environment-friendly multistep procedure involving alkaline treatment and totally chlorine-free bleaching. The multistep process begins with the removal of pectin, cutin, waxes, and other extractives from Eucalyptus lenceolata straw, followed by the removal of hemicelluloses and lignin using an alkaline treatment, and lastly by further delignification of the cellulose pulp through a two-step bleaching process, first with the use of hydrogen peroxide/tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) and then with the use of a mixture of acetic and nitric acids. The Eucalyptus lenceolata samples were collected from the mountains of the Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and were ground into smaller particles. The pulp resulting from each step was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to detect structural changes. The purified cellulose was characterized through different analytical techniques such as Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The isolated cellulose has a high degree of purity and crystallinity (73%) and thermal stability as verified by XRD and TGA, respectively. SEM was used to study the surface morphology of cellulose, indicating that the surface was free from lignin and hemicelluloses due to the chemical treatment. This study indicates that the multistep procedure is quite adequate for the extraction of cellulose.
Highlights
The biopolymer of cellulose is abundantly present in the universe
Current research work is aimed at knowing everything about the important use of cellulose obtained from wood, especially synthesizing biofuels which will be a great benefit to our energy requirements and to our need for a green environment
Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was performed for identification of different functional groups on the surface of raw materials and pure cellulose collected from every stage of the isolation [24]
Summary
The biopolymer of cellulose is abundantly present in the universe. Cellulose composition contains straight chains of Dglucose connected by β-1,4-glycosidic linkage using a high quality form of polymerization of 1 × 103 in native woods. The cellulose molecular structure shows properties such as degradability, hydrophilicity, chirality, and wide chemical inconsistency. Due to its long chain and greater molecular mass, cellulose is insoluble in water [2, 3]. It has been mainly used as a source of paper since the beginning. Cellulose and its derivatives are the focus of the current research work because of the growing demand for it and its importance for bioethanol production [4]. Current research work is aimed at knowing everything about the important use of cellulose obtained from wood, especially synthesizing biofuels which will be a great benefit to our energy requirements and to our need for a green environment.
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