Synthesis and characterization of cellulose acetate from fiber waste of sugar palm stem (Arenga pinnata Sp).

Natural polymers are expected to be used as raw materials for biodegradable plastics production to replace synthetic plastics, which are known as not eco-friendly due to their difficulty to degrade microorganisms. Among modified cellulose derivatives, cellulose acetate can be used as raw material for biodegradable plastics. Cellulose can be obtained from lignocellulose material such as fiber waste of sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) trunk. This research aims to produce cellulose acetate with the degree of substitution value that meets a standard plastic raw material. Cellulose acetate was prepared through several processes such as extraction, delignification, bleaching, and acetylation. The experimental factor was a variation of the reaction time of delignification (15, 30, and 60 min) followed by acetylation (30, 60, 120, 240, and 360 min). The delignification process was carried out under pressurized conditions by using NaOH 10%, at 50 °C for 60 minutes, producing pulp with 0.24% of lignin, 10.87% of hemicellulose, and 88.49% of cellulose. The bleaching was done by using 10% hydrogen peroxide at pH 9 with a reaction temperature of 70 °C for 5 hours, yielding white pulp containing lignin was 0.01%, hemicellulose of 9.95%, and cellulose content of 90.01%. The cellulose acetate was obtained through the acetylation process by using acetic anhydride, and iodine as a catalyst for 30 minutes of generated cellulose acetate with a degree of substitution of 1.60+0.005. Cellulose acetate product has met the requirements as a biodegradable plastic raw material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]