Structural FTIR analysis of cellulose functional groups isolated from <i>Leucaena leucocephala</i> pods using different bleaching agents.
Aida Safina Aridi, Chin Nyuk Ling, Nur Akmal Ishak, M.Y.N. Nadiah, Mohamed Fikry Mohamed Ahmed, Yus Aniza Yusof
Abstract
Structural FTIR analysis of cellulose functional groups isolated from Leucaena leucocephala pods using different bleaching agents.AbstractIn this study, extracted cellulose fibres were successfully isolated from Leucaena leucocephala pods through an efficient alkaline treatment and bleaching method using different bleaching agents such as 5 wt.% of sodium chlorite (NaClO2), 5 wt.% of oxalic acid (C2H2O4), 5 wt.% of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and 5 wt.% of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), respectively. The functional group of the cellulose fibres were analysed by using attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. The ATR-IR spectra reported that the Leucaena leucocephala fibres after being given chemical treatment with 5%w/w of NaClO lead the similar functional group with the commercial cellulose due to removal hemicellulose and lignin. The content cellulose of final product was 89.4% was measured by the chemical composition test. Meanwhile, the whiteness index of Leucaena leucocephala fibres treated with 5 wt.% NaClO was 78.5%, which was the highest. The results of ATR-IR, chemical composition test and whiteness index were indicated that the sample of Leucaena leucocephala pods presents the structure of cellulose. Open preprint This article is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed