Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 30 Number 1 (2026): 1626

 

Research Article

 

Assessing the influence of drying methods on formic acid hydrolysis-derived cellulose from oil palm biomass

 

Nurizzatul Jannah Hamdan1, Ahmad Husaini Mohamed1, *, Noorfatimah Yahaya2, *, Nur Sofiah Abu Kassim1, Nur Alia Atiqah Alias1, Kavirajaa Pandian Sambasevam1, Siti Nor Atika Baharin1, Nur Nadia Dzulkifli1, and Nur Rahimah Said1

 

1School of Chemistry and Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Negeri Sembilan Branch, Kuala Pilah Campus, Pekan Parit Tinggi, 72000 Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

2Department of Toxicology, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 13200 Bertam Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding to: ahmadhusaini@uitm.edu.my; noorfatimah@usm.my

 

Received: 21 July 2025; Revised: 17 December 2025; Accepted: 5 January 2026; Published: 28 February 2026

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of two drying methods, namely air-drying (AD) and freeze-drying (FD), on the properties of cellulose derived isolated from formic acid hydrolysis. The cellulose was prepared using 60% (v/v) formic acid hydrolysis from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 (g/mL) and then subjected to the two drying methods. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy analysis revealed that both cellulose samples exhibited sizes within the visible range of 400 to 800 nm, with the highest percentage transmittance being approximately 98%. In terms of morphological analysis, the cellulose obtained after air-drying exhibited a smooth surface, flaky appearance, and agglomeration due to self-organization organisation and stacking between particles. Conversely, cellulose obtained from freeze-drying displayed a rough surface structure, along with self-organisation and stacking between particles. The formic acid hydrolysis technique yielded cellulose with crystallinity properties of 75.98% when freeze-dried and 65.46% when air-dried, while maintaining cellulose type I structure in both cases. This study provides insights into how the drying process following acid hydrolysis can influence cellulose properties, offering opportunities for tailoring cellulose properties for specific applications.

 

Keywords: cellulose, oil palm empty fruit bunch, acid hydrolysis, drying method

 

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