Voravadee  Suchiya, Pranut  Potiyaraj, Duangdao  Aht-Ong, 
    Preparation and Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Cellulose Based-Agro Wastes,
    Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences,
    Volume 11,Issue 12,
    2016,
    Pages 2566-2572,
    ISSN 1816-949x,
    jeasci.2016.2566.2572,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=jeasci.2016.2566.2572)
    Abstract: Two types of agricultural wastes, Bagasse (BG) and Banana Stem (BS) were extracted and hydrolyzed
into Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) by acid hydrolysis using HCl and H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> . The suitable condition for preparing MCC from each agricultural waste was investigated. From the results of Thermogravimetric Analysis
(TGA), the suitable NaOH concentrations for delignification of BG and BS fiber were 0.5 and 1 M, respectively.
The most appropriate bleaching condition giving high whiteness and less degradation of both pulps
was 6% H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> in alkali solution. For H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> hydrolysis, BG and BS MCC achieved their unchanged average particle sizes (6-7 &mu;m) and equilibrium Degree of Polymerization (DP) values (233-256) within 60 and 30 min,
respectively. Whereas, the optimum conditions for BG and BS hydrolyzed with 2.5 N HCl to obtain their
unchanged average particle sizes (6-7 &mu;m) and equilibrium DP values (238-303) were at 120 and 60 min,
respectively. In addition, particle size of all obtained BG and BS MCCs was smaller than Commercial
Microcrystalline Cellulose (CM-MCC).
    Keywords: Microcrystalline cellulose;acid hydrolysis;degree of polymerization;biopolymer;bagasse;banana stem