The Effect of Alkalization on Carboxymethil Cellulose Synthesis from Stem and Peel Cellulose of Banana

BACKGROUND: North Sumatra is one of the regions in Indonesia that produce bananas. Banana stems and peels contain cellulose and it can be isolated in nanofiber form. Carboxymethylcellulose is a cellulose derivative that undergoes an alkalization and etherification process AIM: This research was conducted to evaluate the alkalization effect on synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose from stem and peel cellulose of banana. METHODS: Stem and peel of banana was extracted with NaOH 17.5% and the extract was synthesized to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The synthesis of CMC was beginning with alkalization process in variation of NaOH concentration and the reaction was then etherificated with sodium monochloroacetate. CMC was characterized by FTIR and DS values were determined. RESULTS: FTIR spectra of synthesized CMC had different pattern compared to cellulose. It showed that an etherification reaction had been occurred in the cellulose compound. Spectra of CMC with variation in alkali concentration was not much different from one another. The synthesized CMC from stem and peel cellulose of banana had different degree of substitution (DS) values due to variate concentration of NaOH in alkalization. CONCLUSON: Alkalization on CMC synthesis affects the DS value of synthesized CMC. The increase DS value is proportional to the rise in NaOH concentration even though there is a boundary concentration to obtain the optimum DS value.