Production of regenerated cellulose polymeric films from plantain pseudostem

Regenerated cellulose was prepared from plantain pseudo stem obtained in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The pulp prepared with 12% NaOH had moisture content of 8.8% and a yield of 36.9% on the average. The pulp was bleached and exposed to air to form “white crumbs”. The aged crumbs was mixed with carbon disulphide at a controlled temperature of 30 °C to form cellulose xanthate (C6H9O4–S–SNa)n. This was then converted to regenerated cellulose by way of further treatment with tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid at a yield of 36.4%. This work has revealed that plantain pseudo stem waste can be converted to regenerated cellulose for diverse applications.