A Fabrication and modification of a microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) prepared from cotton yarn

Abstract

Cotton fibers were used to prepare the microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) by hydrolysis in acidic H2SO4 medium at different concentrations and heating. The prepared MCC sample was further grafted with maleic anhydride (MA) as an eco-friendly compatibilizer. Physicochemical properties of the fabricated materials were analyzed in comparison with those of the commercial Merck MCC one. The samples were subjected to infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the purity of cellulose structure and the presence of MA grafted on MCC chains. The size distribution curve analysis showed that the MCC sample prepared under optimal conditions gave the same distribution as the commercial one, and the grafted sample gave a larger average size due to the aggregation. The X-ray spectroscopy (XRD) showed that the crystal structure was preserved through the modulation processes. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out to compare the heat resistance of the samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that the prepared samples had similar morphology with Merck’s MCC.