Sequential autohydrolysis-organosolv pretreatment for cellulose derivative production

Pretreatment is a crucial stage in obtaining cellulose pulp from coconut residue. It helps in extracting lignin and hemicellulose, increasing the efficiency of the further process. This study proposed and developed a sequential pretreatment combining autohydrolysis, organosolv, and chemical bleaching to maximize the efficiency of extractive, hemicelluloses, and lignin removal. The aim was to explore and enhance the extraction of high-quality cellulose pulp derived from coconut residues for the production of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Chemical and structural analysis was performed to confirm the efficiency of the proposed process. Chemical analysis confirmed the removal of lignin and hemicellulose, resulting in an enhancement of cellulose content from 40.01% to 78.92% FT-IR analyses confirmed modifications in the chemical structure of cellulose, while TGA revealed a significant mass loss in the cellulose-specific temperature range, demonstrating the efficient removal of other components. SEM images, in turn, provided microscopic visualizations that proved the successful preparation of CMC. The process resulted in a CMC yield of 30.75%, demonstrating its effectiveness in preparing cellulosic pulp suitable for CMC production, which stands out as a promising method for using coconut fibers in industry.