Novel sequential ozonolysis-hydrolysis treatments for microcrystalline cellulose synthesis from oil palm empty fruit bunch

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a versatile biopolymer derived from plant-based cellulose and widely used in the pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, plastic and paper industries. A novel integrated process for synthesizing MCC from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) has been investigated. The process begins with ozonolysis pretreatment to achieve maximum lignin removal. The ozonated EFB cellulose pulp fraction is then subjected to various chemical methods and acid hydrolysis for cellulose fiber production and MCC synthesis, respectively. The cellulose pulp, fiber and MCC samples are characterized using TGA, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, SEM imaging, PSA, and BET Surface Analysis. Among the methods tested, integrating ozonolysis pretreatment with sodium hydroxide swelling proved most effective for cellulose fiber production, achieving significant delignification with cellulose and hemicellulose contents of 86 % and 1 %, respectively. Subsequent hydrolysis process for the synthesis of MCC resulted in 98 % cellulose content. The EFB-derived MCC (EFBMCC) exhibits 80 % crystallinity, particle size of 48 μm, and thermal breakdown temperature of 300 °C. Characterization results confirmed that EFBMCC demonstrates properties comparable to commercial MCC, indicating its potential as a sustainable alternative. This study presents a sustainable and efficient process for producing high-quality MCC from biomass, paving the way for its application in environmentally friendly bioproducts.