Characterization of Synthesized Cellulose Derivatives in 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Chloride Ionic Liquid

Abstract

To obtain pure holocellulose, cellulosic wastes were chemically pretreated. Depending on the derivatizing agents used, the dissolution and functionalization of various holocelluloses obtained in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [BIMIM]Cl ionic liquid using different derivatizing agents such as cellulose acetate, cellulose phthalates, and cellulose ether. Cold acetone and dichloromethane were used to regenerate the dissolved product in ionic liquids, and the resulting ionic liquids were reused.The degree of substitution (DS) of the products obtained ranged from 1.00 to 2.77 at 100°C. FTIR analysis revealed important absorption bands which include: (C = O at ~ 1750 cm− 1, SP3 –CO at ~ 1250cm− 1, SP2 –CO at 1100cm− 1, for esters of cellulose acetate and phthalate, Aromatic –CH stretching at 1577cm− 1 for cellulose phthalate and –CO-CH2CH3 at 1720cm− 1 with the absence of SP2 bending frequency at 1250cm− 1 which confirms the successful synthesis of ethyl cellulose). XRD showed values at (2θ= ~14.5°, 17.0°, 22.7° and 34.5°) for all samples. Comparison of SEM images of the cellulose and derivatives showed little or no destruction of the fibre strands while EDS revealed C and O as (Elemental composition of all samples. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA) showed the derivatives possessed higher thermal stability that the starting materials thus, producing materials with better application. All these revealed a successful extraction and purification of cellulose from wastes as well as the synthesis of cellulose derivatives.