Title:Effect of Recycled Imidazolium-based Ionic Liquids on Biomass from Rubber Wood
VOLUME: 4 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Dazylah Darji*, Yatimah Alias and Nurul Hainiza Abd Razak
Affiliation:Department of Chemistry, Centre for Ionic Liquids, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Department of Chemistry, Centre for Ionic Liquids, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Rubber Research Institute Malaysia, Malaysian Rubber Board, RRIM Sg Buloh, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor
Keywords:Ionic liquids, dissolution, rubber wood, recycle, pre-treatment, anions.
Abstract:Background: Ionic liquids could be used as a potential solvent to dissolve rubber wood.
This is one the most successful methods for the dissolution of rubber wood.
Methods: In this study, various imidazolium-based ionic liquids with different anions, e.g acetate, chloride,
dycanimide and ethylphosphonate were used to dissolve rubber wood and showed that 1-ethyl-3-
methyl imidazolium acetate ([Emim][OAc]) could be recycled four times. There was a small decrease in
the cellulose and lignin mass regenerated of the rubber wood using recycled ionic liquids compared to
fresh ionic liquids. This method had achieved a recovery ionic liquid efficiency of 90% and the Fourier
Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that the crystallinity of the cellulose
through the recycled ionic liquid has significantly decreased. The yield of the conversion of cellulose to
glucose increased as the number of ionic liquid cycles increased, especially at the fourth instance of recycling.
On the other hand, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and 1H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance)
spectroscopy showed no structural changes in the recovered ionic liquids.
Conclusion: This work proves that [Emim][OAc] has an excellent reusability.
