Characteristics Testing of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Nata de Coco Compared to Avicel pH 101 and Avicel pH 102

Abstract

Microcrystalline cellulose is an imported raw material in Indonesia, which used widely as an excipient in tablet production. One of the alternative materials to produce microcrystalline cellulose is from nata de coco. This research aimed to know the characteristic of microcrystalline cellulose from nata de coco compared to avicel pH 101 and avicel pH 102. Nata de coco were alkalinated, dried and hydrolyzed to get microcrystalline cellulose. Independent variables in this research are microcrystalline cellulose from nata de coco, avicel pH 101 and avicel pH 102. While the dependent variables are flow properties, compactibility, compressibility, water absorption, tap density, bulk density, loss of drying, infrared absorption spectra, and SEM images. Data analyzed using one way ANAVA with CI 95% and using software SPSS for windows. The result showed that data from characteristic test microcrystalline cellulose from nata de coco is different in flow properties, compactibility, compressibility, tap density, bulk density, and loss of drying from avicel pH 101 and avicel pH 102, but having the same water absorption. Infrared spectrum data showed that microcrystalline cellulose from nata de coco is similar to avicel pH 101 and avicel pH 102. The SEM result showed that microcrystalline cellulose from nata de coco having bigger particle size (66.67–266.67 μm) than avicel pH 101 (13.33–166.67 μm) and avicel pH 102 (13.33–200 μm).