Conversion of rice straw into CMC via controlled ultrasonic-assisted
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Rice straw, one of Indonesia’s most abundant agricultural residues, offers significant potential as a cellulose-rich feedstock for producing Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC). This study explores the conversion of cellulose extracted from rice straw into CMC using an ultrasonic-assisted synthesis method in combination with mixed isopropanol–ethanol (IPA–EtOH) solvent systems. The synthesis involved three main stages—alkalization, carboxymethylation, and purification—while examining how solvent polarity and sonication duration affect the final product quality. Three solvent ratios (50:50, 80:20, and 100:0 IPA–EtOH) and three sonication times (10, 25, and 45 minutes) were tested. The optimal results were obtained with the 80:20 solvent mixture and 25 minutes of sonication, which produced the highest degree of substitution (DS = 1.051), indicating more effective cellulose activation and reagent penetration. FTIR analysis verified the successful incorporation of carboxymethyl groups, and XRD results showed a clear shift from the crystalline structure of native cellulose to the amorphous profile characteristic of high-quality CMC. The pH of the final product ranged between 5.7 and 6.0, aligning well with industrial standards. Overall, the findings demonstrate that ultrasonic treatment combined with an optimized solvent system can significantly improve reaction efficiency and yield high-quality CMC from rice straw, promoting sustainable biomass utilization and waste-to-resource innovation.
Source: Journal Industrial Servicess
Institution: Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7129033744