SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CMC (CARBOXY METHYL CELLULOSE) USING RAW MATERIALS OF EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH (EFB)

• Main Author: ISMET - NIM : 23015029, MUHAMMAD
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/29270
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

<p align="justify">Empty fruit bunches (EFB) include one source of lignocellulosic biomass material which is a waste of oil palm plantations resulting from oil palm fruit extraction. EFB waste produced is still not widely used. CMC (Carboxy Methyl Cellulose) is a cellulosic derivative that is carboxymethylated. CMC is used in the food industry that serves as a thickener, emulsion stabilizer and binder. CMC needs in Indonesia quite a lot, but the production level of CMC in Indonesia itself is still very low. To help the shortage of supply of CMC usage is done efforts to overcome it, one of them with the utilization of EFB become raw material of making CMC. CMC is synthesized through two stages of alkalization and carboxymethylation. Alkalization stage is a reaction between cellulose with the addition of an organic solution and an alkaline solution which aims to activate the -OH groups in the cellulose molecule to form alkaline cellulose. The carboxymethylation stage is a reaction between alkaline cellulose with the addition of MCA (Monochloroacetic Acid), where the -OH group in the cellulose structure is replaced by MCA which is a sign of CMC formation. <br /> <br /> <br /> The results show that the synthesis of CMC from empty palm oil bunches has the potential to be produced and applied. Furthermore, the NaOH concentration and the addition of MCA have an effect on the resulting CMC. The higher the NaOH concentration and the addition of MCA, the CMC characteristics will also increase. However, too high a NaOH concentration can decrease the value of CMC characteristics due to cellulose degradation. Likewise, the addition of MCAs that are too large can decrease the characteristics value because MCA tend to react with NaOH. In addition, based on the characteristics of CMC produced, CMC of EFB can be applied to the detergent industry, oil and gas drilling.<p align="justify"> <br />