Abstract

We performed xylanase pretreatment prior to mechanical refining in the production of mulberry branch fibers, with the objective of saving energy and studying the effects of such pretreatment on the quality of the fibers. To determine the effects of the enzyme action, we analyzed the energy required for refining, related yield, and the dimension, deformation, and morphology of the fibers. We found that, with the xylanase pretreatment, the refining energy was reduced by 4%, with the yield of fibers being maintained at >85%. In addition, the fiber bundles were defibered further, resulting in reduced average length of the fiber. Furthermore, the fiber widths increased because of the improved swelling effect of the xylanase pretreatment. However, in some instances, the fine elements were reduced. With a low enzyme dosage, the fiber coarseness decreased remarkably and, because of the swelling and softening effects of the xylanase pretreatment on the mulberry branches, the fiber kink ratios and curl were reduced. Additionally, the mulberry branch tissue was loosened, facilitating fiber separation. In view of these findings, the biomechanical process could be a potentially green and efficient process for the manufacturing of mulberry branch fibers.

Highlights

  • As public awareness of the effects of economic growth and the attendant need for environmental protection increases, research interest in the utilization of renewable lignocellulosic biomass has increased [1, 2]

  • We report our investigation into the effects of xylanase pretreatment on the characteristics of refined mulberry branch fibers

  • We used various enzyme dosages to explore the full potential of xylanase pretreatment and we studied the changes in the fiber quality to determine the enzyme actions in the process

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Summary

Introduction

As public awareness of the effects of economic growth and the attendant need for environmental protection increases, research interest in the utilization of renewable lignocellulosic biomass has increased [1, 2]. One such biomass species is mulberry (Morus alba L), which belongs to the genus Morus of the family Moraceae [3] that is grown widely in China, Southern Europe, North America, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia [4]. Xylanase treatment can be considered a modification method for lignocellulosic materials, as it can modify the physical and chemical structures of such materials by degradation of xylan and, thereby, can affect their performance in various applications [10,11,12]

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