Isolation and Characterization of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) Bagasse Cellulose Hydrolyzed with Acid Variation

The acid-based approach has been used to successfully isolate natural cellulose from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) bagasse. This research was aimed at investigating the effects of different acids and concentrations on the physical characteristics and powder properties of sugarcane bagasse cellulose (SBC). From sugarcane bagasse, cellulose was isolated. The optimization parameters; acid types (nitric, sulfuric, or hydrochloride acid), concentrations (3, 4, and 5%, respectively), the ratio of acid to sugarcane bagasse, and the concentration of bleaching agent (hydrogen peroxide) were evaluated. The isolated celluloses were characterized using FTIR Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction analysis. The physical properties and powder properties of SBC were determined. The results showed that the optimum condition for the isolation process was 4% HNO₃ with a percentage yield of 44.200±0.004%. The optimum ratio of acid: sugarcane bagasse was obtained at 8 mL: 1 g, and bleached with 15% hydrogen peroxide. The colour and form of SBC obtained at optimum conditions were appropriate compared to the standard. The coefficient of the Pearson correlation test shows that acid type (-0.246) and concentration (-0.087) correlated with the percentage yield. Bagasse (6.6%) and cellulose (6.27%) powders have moisture contents that meet the requirements of simplicia (10%). The FTIR spectra of SBC were similar to the standard. The bulk and tapped densities (0.071 and 0.077, respectively) of SBC were found to be significantly lower than the standards (0.227 and 0.250). The findings of this study reveal that different acid types and concentrations influence the characteristics of sugarcane bagasse cellulose.