Abstract
With the increasing use of wood resources, wood waste disposal is becoming a more pressing issue. Wood waste can be effectively processed and reused, thus reducing environmental impact. Our study proposes using wood waste to produce sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC) with enhanced physical and chemical properties. The paper explores a promising approach to processing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood waste via the suspension method to obtain the biopolymer Na-CMC. The ability to convert pine sawdust into Na-CMC meets the demand for high-quality wood raw materials, expands the biopolymer's applications, and reduces the environmental and economic burden of wood consumption. The aim of this study is to produce Na-CMC from Scots pine sawdust at 60°C and 80°C and investigate the biopolymer’s physical and chemical properties. In laboratory experiments, Na-CMC samples were synthesized at 60°C and 80°C using sodium hydroxide, propanol-2, and sodium monochloroacetate (Na-MCA). The physical and chemical properties of Na-CMC were studied such as functional groups (hydroxyl, methylene, carbonyl), alcohol and ether bonds by IR spectrophotometry; molecular mass, polymerization degree, and viscosity of polymer solutions by viscometry; carboxymethyl groups by conductometric titration; and product yield and solubility by gravimetry. The scientific and practical significance of the chemical modification of wood sawdust cellulose has been established, with carboxymethylation proving effective at 60°C