Study on organosolv pulping methods of oil palm biomass

Comparative study on organosolv pulping method have been done by using various mixtures of water and organic solvents as delignifying agents including ethylene glycol-water mixtures, ethanol-water mixtures and acetic acid-water mixtures to extract cellulose from agricultural crop biomass (Oil palm empty-fruit bunches-OPFB). The yield of organosolv pulping with ethylene glycol-water mixture, ethanol-water mixtures and acetic acid-water mixture are 50.1%; 48.1% and 41.7% respectively while the kappa number are 74.7; 72.7; and 6,7.The bleaching process of organosolv pulp with H2O2 give lower Degree of Polymerization than bleaching with NaOCl2. The FTIR spectra show the degradation of cellulose pulp occurred during Acid Pulping and Bleaching treatment result in lower Degree of Polymerization. The XRD measurement show the ethanol-water mixture pulping result in higher crystallinity of pulp (68.67), follow by ethylene glycol-water mixture as (58.14), acid pulping (54.21). The TGA analysis shows the ethylene glycol-water mixture pulping produce higher thermal stability compare to other methods. Bleaching treatment with NaOCl2 is effective to eliminate remaining lignin on pulps. Among the Organosolv pulping methods, pulping with ethanol-water mixtures followed by bleaching treatment with NaOCl2 produce best OPEFB pulp with yield (32%), αCellulose (96.1%), kappa number (2.2), DP (848). Based on the results, OPEFB pulp has potential to use as raw material for cellulose related industry.