In-depth characterization of cellulosic pulps from oil palm empty fruit bunches and kenaf core, dissolution and preparation of cellulose membranes

Cellulosic pulps from oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) and kenaf core were bleached and characterized with regard to their sugar content, crystallinity, molecular weight, carboxyl group content and solubility in NaOH/urea. The sugar content results showed glucose, mannose and xylose in EFB pulp and only glucose and xylose in the kenaf core cellulosic pulp. The crystallinity indexes of EFB cellulosic pulp and the kenaf core cellulosic pulp were 49 and 51%, respectively. The carboxyl group content of EFB cellulosic pulp was lower than that of kenaf core pulp. However, the molecular weight of EFB cellulose pulp was higher than that of kenaf core pulp. Because the solubility of kenaf core pulp was higher and acceptable, it was successful in forming a cellulose membrane (CM). The CM was cast at two different thicknesses: 0.04 mm and 0.07 mm. CM0.07 had smaller pore sizes, which yielded a higher tensile strength than CM0.04.