Valorization of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch for Cellulose Fibers: A Reinforcement Material in Polyvinyl Alcohol Biocomposites for Its Application as Detergent Capsules

Jia Ying Tan, Wah Yen Tey, Joongjai Panpranot, Steven Lim () and Kiat Moon Lee ()
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Jia Ying Tan: Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
Wah Yen Tey: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
Joongjai Panpranot: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Steven Lim: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
Kiat Moon Lee: Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: Cellulose fibers isolated from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) have been studied as a potential reinforcement for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) biocomposite. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that all three parameters—hydrolysis temperature, time and acid concentration, as well as their interactions—significantly affected the yield of cellulose. Moving Least Squares (MLS) and Multivariable Power Least Squares (MPLS) models demonstrated good fitness. The model also proved that acid concentration was the dominant parameter, supported by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Hydrolysis using 54% acid at 35 °C and 15 min achieved the highest cellulose yield of 80.72%. Cellulose-reinforced PVA biocomposite films demonstrated better mechanical strength, elongation at break, moisture barrier properties, thermal stability and poorer light transmission rate compared to neat PVA due to the high aspect ratio, crystallinity and good compatibility of cellulose fibers. These findings suggested the potential of cellulose fibers-reinforced PVA biocomposite film as water-soluble detergent capsules.

Keywords: oil palm empty fruit bunch; polyvinyl alcohol; cellulose fiber; biocomposite; Moving Least Square; Multivariate Power Least Square (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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