Investigation on the Chemical Structure of Carboxymethylated Fibers from Waste Paper with of XRD and FTIR Techniques

In this research, the production method for carboxymethylated fibers from waste paper and chemical structure of the product were distinguished by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectral analysis. The treatment condition for producing carboxymethylated fibers also involved the use of isopropanol, sodium hydroxide solution, and monochloroacetic acid. The product was purified with 70/30 methanol/ water. Then, one sample was neutralized with acetic acid and the other was considered as a sample without having been neutralized. The results of FTIR and XRD analysis indicated that the carboxyl and methyl functional groups had increased in the carboxymethylated fibers and the crystallinity of cellulose had decreased in the carboxymethylated fibers.