Nitrocellulose Synthesis From Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches Waste for Propellant Use: Innovation in Polymer Science and Technology

ABSTRACT This research examines the synthesis of nitrocellulose (NC) utilizing oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) as a sustainable alternative for green propellant applications. Ramie was used as a comparative benchmark to assess nitration efficiency and performance. The cellulose was extracted via a two‐step process involving alkalization and bleaching, resulting in a maximum purity of 90.03% with a 17.5% NaOH treatment followed by peracetic acid treatment. The nitration process utilized concentrated and fuming nitric acid (HNO 3 ), with sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) acting as a dehydrating agent, and was analyzed under various reaction times and acid ratios. Optimal outcomes were achieved with H 2 SO 4 :HNO 3 ratios of 1:1 and 1.5:1, yielding nitrogen contents of 13.8%–14% and a degree of substitution (DS) approaching 3, indicating nearly complete nitration. Conversely, increasing the acid ratios resulted in reduced nitrogen incorporation and lower quality nitrocellulose. Notably, ramie presented a slightly higher nitrogen content due to its superior initial purity, while EFB displayed commendable results, particularly in terms of sustainability and availability. These findings underscore the technical feasibility of producing high‐quality nitrocellulose from EFB. The nitrogen content and DS values obtained suggest significant potential for propellant‐grade applications in line with existing literature.