PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NANO-CELLULOSE POWDER FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES AS GREEN NANOFLUIDS

Indonesia is the largest palm oil producing country in the world. In the palm oil production process, solid waste is produced, such as empty palm fruit bunches, which represent 25%-26% w/w of the total raw material for palm oil. In this study, we prepared nano-cellulose through ultrasonication to obtain the optimum ultrasonication temperature for nano-cellulose. Temperature variations were carried out at 40 degrees C-70 degrees C for 30 minutes. The results of the synthesis process could be seen visually for each temperature variation. Characterization analysis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis of nano-cellulose pow-der (NCP). The results showed that ultrasonication at 70 degrees C gave the smallest size, namely, 174.85-460.84 nm by SEM. The composition obtained was the highest for the carbon values (62.66%) at 50 degrees C. The greatest intensity (5000) was obtained for NCP at 40 degrees C, and the smallest intensity (2300) was obtained for NCP at 70 degrees C; in both cases, diffraction angle (2 theta) = 22.5 degrees.