Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose Isolated from Paper Sludge

Abstract

The large amount of paper sludge generated from wastepaper industries emphasizes the importance of developing green waste management. The study aimed to characterize microcrystalline cellulose from paper sludge using different acid concentrations. The properties of chemical composition, morphological, thermal, reflectance, and crystallinity index were accessed. The disappearance of peaks in FTIR was related to the removal of amorphous structure. SEM confirmed the reduction in diameter with the decomposed temperature of 266°C. 3.0 M reflects the highest UVB at 28% and UVA at 39% due to the highest crystallinity index of 31%, which is possible for reinforcement application in film packaging.