Synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) using sonochemistry technique

Abstract

One of the essential cellulose derivatives in the industry is carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). This study aims to synthesize CMC from α-cellulose through an etherification process using NaOH/urea aqueous solution and monochloroacetic acid (MCA). CMC synthesis was carried out using sonochemistry techniques with variations in reaction time of 1 to 4 hours. As a comparison, CMC synthesis was also carried out using conventional methods for 3 hours. The degree of substitution (DS), pH, and the solubility of the synthesized CMC in distilled water and 0.1 N NaOH were determined. Cellulose and CMC products were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR). The FTIR spectrum showed that CMC was successfully synthesized. The DS of the CMC product obtained is 0.26–0.75. The pH of 1% CMC solution ranged from 7.0–7.3. The product is soluble in distilled water and 0.1 N NaOH solution.