International Polymer Processing, Vol.30, No.3, 337-343, 2015
Processing of Soju Industrial Bioresidue to Extract Microcrystalline Cellulose and Characterization
Soju industrial biomass residue (SIBR) is a lignocellulosic agro-industrial biowaste available in large quantities in soju producing countries. In this study, an attempt was made to extract microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a biopolymer from SIBR by controlled acid hydrolysis. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the presence of cellulose I structure with two peaks around 2 theta = 15 and 22.5 degrees and increase in crystallinity after acid hydrolysis treatment. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed no significant chemical affect of the cellulose fragment. Thermo-gravimetric analysis reveals that the extracted MCC have a good thermal stability (319 degrees C). Dynamic light scattering studies confirmed the presence of MCC in micro range (126.4 nm) which was supported by transmission electron microscopy. The results of this work are useful for extracting valuable and widely applicable cellulose, and help solve management of SIBR in terms of disposal and pollution problems.