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Isolation, preparation, and characterization of nanofibers from oil palm empty-fruit-bunch (OPEFB)

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Abstract

Cellulose nanofibers were produced by hydrolyzing oil palm empty-fruit-bunches with sulfuric acid. The effect of hydrolysis time on the structure and properties of the nanofibers was investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the change of chemical composition. Atomic force microscope images showed that the average thickness of the nanofibers ranged from 1 to 3.5 nm as the hydrolysis time was varied. Longer hydrolysis time produced a higher yield of dispersed nanofibers; whereas the degree of crystallinity and the degree of polymerization decreased with increasing hydrolysis time. The degradation of nanofibers with higher sulfate group content started at a lower temperature.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank to Mr. Takuya Isogai (The University of Tokyo) for his assistance with DP measurements. One of the authors (Farah Fahma) is a recipient of the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomaterial Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Farah Fahma, Shinichiro Iwamoto, Naruhito Hori, Tadahisa Iwata & Akio Takemura

  2. Department of Agroindustrial Technology, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia

    Farah Fahma

Authors
  1. Farah Fahma
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  2. Shinichiro Iwamoto
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  3. Naruhito Hori
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  4. Tadahisa Iwata
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  5. Akio Takemura
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Correspondence to Akio Takemura.

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Fahma, F., Iwamoto, S., Hori, N. et al. Isolation, preparation, and characterization of nanofibers from oil palm empty-fruit-bunch (OPEFB). Cellulose 17, 977–985 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-010-9436-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-010-9436-4

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