SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CELLULOSE ACETATE FROM RICE HUSK AS A MATRIX IN CELLULOSE STRENGTHENED COMPOSITES

• Main Author: Nurfajri, Ihsan
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/52069
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Composites are materials with a wide variety of applications and are often used in everyday life. However, environmental and compatibility issues are still the main drawbacks of composite materials. Therefore, it is needed a composite material which consists of materials that are compatible and are environmentally friendly. In this research, a literature study will be conducted on the synthesis of cellulose acetate from rice husks and preparation of cellulose acetate composites reinforced with cellulose fibers. Rice husk is chosen as the main material because of its abundance in Indonesia and considered as agricultural wastes so it has the potential to be used as a raw material for making cellulose. Rice husks used in this study were alkali treated using sodium hydroxide solution and then bleached using a hydrogen peroxide solution to extract the cellulose within the rice husks. The purity of the obtained cellulose is measured using the Chesson-Datta method. After that, FTIR characterization was carried out to identify the functional groups contained in rice husks. Then, a literature study was carried out regarding the manufacture of cellulose acetate from rice husks and the effect of catalyst used on the degree of acetylation of the resulting cellulose acetate. A literature study also conducted on the performance of cellulose acetate used as a matrix composite. It is hoped that the manufacture of cellulose acetate made from rice husks can overcome the environmental and compatibility problems that exist in commercial composite materials and reduce the problem of rice husk wastes in Indonesia.