Methods in cellulose extraction from kenaf core fiber via ammonium persulfate mediated oxidation

The greenery approach using ammonium persulfate oxidation using the kenaf core was studied through production of cellulose. The optimisation done on the methods using ammonium persulfate, with its low toxicity and low cost has successfully proven that ammonium persulfate (APS) is one of the feasible chemical methods to be used in laboratory scale. Kenaf core with low utilisation due to its low cellulosic content now had a turnover into the production high value added products with lower consequences. Methods that been implemented on a study highly influences the desired yield. Previous research has been done on the cellulose production using several chemical and mechanical methods. This study focused on the underutilised kenaf core as main cellulose source for the production of cellulose Several methods, Method 1(pre-treatment+APS oxidation), Method 2(APS oxidation) and Method 3(APS oxidation) were tested in this study in order to choose the optimum methods to be used for the cellulose extraction. Parameter such as amount and molarity of ammonium persulfate and reaction time were optimised to get the optimum process parameters. In order to analyse the cellulose properties that been produced through the optimised methods, few characterisation were carried out through FTIR and XRD. The qualitative analysis, FTIR on three methods demonstrated the presence of carboxyl group at C6 of kenaf core with the presence of (C=O) and (O-H). The disappearance of peak at 1730 cm-1 and 1580 cm-1 proved the removal of non-cellulosic components such as lignin and hemicellulose. Further characterizations on crystallinity of the produced cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) in Method 3 were tested through XRD. The crystallinity of fresh kenaf core in NC2 exhibited the highest range of crystallinity, 37.5% compared to other samples. Further analysis on morphology through SEM of selected samples from Method 1 and Method 3 exhibited rod- like shape and the extent oxidation of ammonium persulfate being exposed to kenaf core fibers.This study highlighted that ammonium persulfate with its optimum process parameters highly influence the production of cellulose. For recommendation, that further study should be carried out in order to achieve cellulose nanocrystals with highest crystallinity which could be used to produce high value added products.