Synthesis of Cellulose Acetate From Cashew Nut Shell Cellulose

Cashew nut was divided into its three constituent parts viz: the kernel, the testa and the shell. The shell was grated, and extracted with n-hexane using Soxhlet extractor. The Soxhlet extraction lasted for 12 hrs. The relative percent of the shell, kernel and the testa to the cashew nut were 65.49, 29.02 and 1.80 % respectively. The Deffated cashew nut shell was weighed into a thimble and extracted with eighty percent (80 %) ethanol; the extraction process was done exhaustively until the solution was colorless to yield 17.9 and 82.10 % of alcohol extractives and cashew nut shell respectively. The defatted and alcohol extracted Cashew Nut Shell was de-lignified with 17.5 % sodium hydroxide. After drying, about 2 g of the de-lignified Cashew Nut Shell cellulose was reacted with acetic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of sulfuric acid to yield cellulose acetate. The cellulose acetate obtained was found to be soluble in acetone