THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON HYDROLYSIS OF CELLULOSE

ABSTRACT

The effect of concentration of hydrochloric acid on hydrolysis of cellulose (saw-dust) to glucose was studied on this research project and the steps obtained to achieve this project involved treatment of saw-dust (cellulose) with different concentrations of the acid at constant temperature of 80° (350k) for 30mins. This was followed by glucose analysis, some analysis or experiments were done on acid hydrolysis in order to study the effect of (HCL) acid on the hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose. The process used in this hydrolysis was acid hydrolysis in which HCL acid was used at constant temperature of 80oC and the saw-dust used [was obtained by grinding wood with saw] was weighed and mixed with water . Secondly, during this analysis/experiment, it was observed that hydrochloric acid hydrolyzed well from the readings gotten from each result that was carried out during the analysis. Then lastly, glucose analysis was carried out to determine the absorbance and glucose concentration. It was noticed that the best concentration of HCL acid during hydrolysis yields glucose concentration of 0.127g or 1.270%.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1   Introduction

Cellulose is the name given to a long chain of atoms consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen arranged in a particular manner it is a naturally occurring polymeric material containing thousands of glucose-like rings each of which contain three alcoholic OH groups. Its general each of which contain three alcoholic OH groups. Its general formula is represented as (C6H1005)n. the oh-groups present in cellulose can be esterifies or etherified, the most important cellulose derivatives are the esters.

Cellulose is found in nature in almost all forms of plant life’s, and especially in cotton and wood. A cellulose molecule is made up of large number of glucose units linked together by oxygen atom. Each glucose unit contains three(3) hydroxyl groups, the hydroxyl groups present at carbon-6 is primary, while two other hydroxyl are secondary. Cellulose is the most abundant organic chemical on earth more than 50% of the carbon is plants occurs in the cellulose of stems and leave wood is largely cellulose, and cotton is more than 90% cellulose.