Abstract Matrix polysaccharides in primary and secondary plant cell walls are biochemically diverse and include xylans, glucomannans, β-glucans (i.e., mixed linkage β-glucan and xyloglucan), pectins, and β-galactan. Their composition and molecular structure in specific cell walls depend on the type of plant, type of tissue, and the temporal development of the plant. The supramolecular organization of matrix polysaccharides around the cellulose microfibrils affects the flexibility and strength of the cell wall. However, the molecular level details of the interface between the cellulose microfibrils and the matrix polysaccharides are not fully understood. Here, the interaction of unsubstituted model oligosaccharides with cellulose microfibrils was investigated through molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption of model oligosaccharides representing their respective backbone motifs. The simulations show that induced conformational changes of the polysaccharide backbone upon adsorption and its alignment with the cellulose microfibril lead to stronger interactions with cellulose. This differentiates typical primary and secondary cell wall hemicelluloses (xylans, glucomannans, and β-glucans) from pectins and β-galactan and explains why mixed-linkage β-glucan can be classified as a hemicellulose. Our study contributes to the development of accurate molecular models for plant cell walls, which will improve our understanding of lignocellulosic biomass and its conversion into functional biobased materials.

Abstract Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a structurally pure, mechanically robust biopolymer with emerging applications in textiles, biomedicine, and packaging. However, commercial-scale production remains limited by the cost and inefficiency of conventional fermentation media. This study investigates the use of freshly extracted grass juice, derived from municipal grass clippings, as a sustainable and low-cost substrate for BC biosynthesis. The performance of grass-derived BC was benchmarked against Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium and Kombucha tea under standardized, unoptimized fermentation conditions. Grass juice yielded a threefold increase in BC production (12.05 g/L) compared to HS (4.87 g/L) and Kombucha (3.06 g/L), while also achieving the highest sugar conversion efficiency. Material characterization revealed that grass-derived BC exhibited the highest crystallinity (92.5%), uniform nanofiber morphology (38.2 ± 5.3 nm), and superior mechanical properties, including tensile strength (34.73 MPa) and Young’s modulus (2.39 GPa). Thermogravimetric analysis showed comparable thermal onset temperatures to HS-derived BC (~ 260 °C), with the highest residual mass (~ 30%) observed in grass-derived samples, indicating enhanced thermal stability. A detailed upstream cost analysis demonstrated that BC production using grass juice reduced media-related costs by ~ 60-fold compared to HS medium. These findings establish grass juice as a scalable, cost-effective fermentation substrate that simultaneously enhances material performance. This work highlights the untapped potential of green waste streams, particularly grass clippings, as feedstocks for advanced fiber materials. Graphical abstract

Abstract This study demonstrates a green method to produce low-density cellulose using organosolv pretreated pulp, which also yields high-purity fractions of hemicelluloses and lignin that can be processed further to obtain different chemicals. A base-catalyzed organosolv pretreatment was employed on Norway spruce woodchips to release the cellulose fibrils, which were used to make low-density (20 kg/m 3 ) porous foams (98%). Sodium hydroxide was used as a catalyst, ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 M. The fibers obtained from these pretreatment conditions were characterized and correlated to the foam formation and properties. Furthermore, the samples were compared to foams made from commercially available unbleached and bleached sulfite pulp. A simple production technique was employed by rapidly agitating cellulose pulp with surfactant and additives to induce air into the system. The cellulose fibers arranged around the bubbles and formed a 3-D network upon drying. The lignin content and fiber aspect ratio of the organosolv fibers showed a positive correlation to the foam formation and stability. The foams presented good mechanical resistance (75%), and this property was tuned by the additives. High moisture adsorption tendency and comparably slower scavenging of antioxidant molecules were hypothesized to be due to the position of lignin in the interiors of the cell wall; these properties make the organosolv foams interesting for bioactive packaging applications.