Fibrous Biomass Research Articles

Biomass to biofuel: Palm kernel shells as catalyst supports for enhanced biodiesel production

AbstractThe use of agricultural biomass fibers, specifically palm kernel shell (PKS), has significant potential to enhance biodiesel production. This approach overcomes economic barriers and contributes to sustainability by repurposing agricultural biomass. This study explores the effectiveness of PKS as a cost‐effective and sustainable catalyst support. Palm kernel shell was chosen due to its high carbon content, low ash presence, and abundance as a byproduct in the palm oil industry, making it an economically viable and environmentally friendly option. In this study, an optimized activated carbon from PKS biomass was fabricated as catalyst support to enhance biodiesel production efficiency. Using response surface methodology (RSM), the PKS was impregnated with phosphoric acid and synthesized at various acid concentrations, impregnation times, and activation times to enhance porosity for catalytic support capabilities. The experimental design included a central composite design (CCD) to vary these factors systematically and determine their optimal levels. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis revealed significant development of porosity, affirming the efficient activation process. Energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis confirmed phosphorus incorporation during activation, indicating the formation of an intricate pore structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy highlighted the presence of functional groups pertinent to the biodiesel reaction process. The transesterification process employing PKS as a catalyst with different biobased feedstocks, such as waste frying oils from corn, palm, and sunflower, led to biodiesel yields of varying efficiencies. Notably, corn oil had the highest yield at 94.92%. This study highlights the potential of PKS as a biobased catalyst support and contributes to the broader biorefinery concept by integrating biomass utilization into renewable fuel production.

Green synthesis of multifunctional bamboo-based nonwoven fabrics for medical treatment

Medical nonwovens fabrics are pivotal materials in modern healthcare systems, and find extensively application in surgical gowns, masks, nursing pads, and surgical instrument packaging. As healthcare requirements evolve and medical technology advances, the demand for functional nonwoven medical devices is continuously increasing. In addition, numerous environmental challenges and the need to transition to a sustainable society have increased the popularity of studies on environmentally friendly multifunctional nonwoven materials prepared from biomass fibers. Therefore, in this study, ecofriendly bamboo fibers were used to fabricate multifunctional medical nonwoven materials with superhydrophobic, antibacterial, flame-retardant, and biocompatible properties. Specifically, ZIF-67 was grown in situ on natural bamboo cellulose fibers (BCFs) extracted from natural bamboo and coated with polydimethylsiloxane to construct an environmentally friendly and versatile nonwoven fabric. The treated nonwoven fabric exhibited superhydrophobicity with contact angle of 163° and possess excellent self-cleaning properties. The antibacterial activity of the samples was investigated by the plate-counting method; the results showed that the untreated BCFs did not exhibit antibacterial activity, whereas the treated bamboo nonwoven fabrics demonstrated significant antibacterial activity (p < 0.001), with an antibacterial rate of >99 % against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans. In addition, when the samples were exposed to different temperatures (−4 and 50 °C) and humidities (0 % and 95 %), they demonstrated an antibacterial activity of >99 % against E. coli (F5,10 = 0.602; p = 0.670) and S. aureus (F4,10 = 0.289; p = 0.879). The heat release rate and smoke production rate of the nonwoven fabric decreased by 54.64 % and 93.18 %, respectively, compared to those of the BCFs, indicating excellent flame retardancy. The nonwoven fabric also exhibited satisfactory biocompatibility and breathability, ensuring user comfortability. This research not only has significant implications for producing low-cost, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and multifunctional medical products and openi up new pathways for the diversified utilization of bamboo, thereby expanding its applicability.

Experimental study on selected properties and microstructure of pine-based wood ceramics

Abstract Wood ceramics using biomass materials as templates possess the benefits of facile fabrication and versatile applicability. To investigate the physical properties, chemical properties and microstructure of wood ceramics prepared from biomass materials, the basic properties and potential applications of wood ceramics were expounded. In this paper, wood powder wood ceramics (WPWC) and wood fiber wood ceramics (WFWC) were prepared through the vacuum carbonization method, utilizing pine powder and pine fiber as raw materials. The impact of phenolic resin concentration and mixture filling mass on various properties of wood ceramics, including mass loss rate (MLR), volume shrinkage rate (VSR), apparent porosity (AP), and bending strength (BS) were investigated on this basis. The microtopography and pore structure of wood ceramics were also analyzed. The test results show that an increase in the concentration of phenolic resin led to a decrease in the MLR, VSR, and AP of WPWC and WFWC, while their BS exhibited an increase. When the concentration of phenolic resin was 60 %, the phenolic resin yielded a BS of 8.70 MPa and 9.20 MPa for WPWC and WFWC, respectively. Furthermore, the microstructures of both WPFC and WFWC reveal hierarchical porous structures. The difference is that WPFC has a dispersed three-dimensional network topology in its overall morphology, which is mainly formed by filamentous or long linear glass carbon in wood ceramics dominated by carbon. The natural and consistent pore structure of WFWC is comparable to a three-dimensional honeycomb structure, the primary mesoporous size was around 40.28 nm and the main macropore size was more than 10,000 nm. It elucidates the pore structure of WPWC and WFWC, characterized by “hierarchical porosity”, the differences and relationships between porous wood ceramics derived from powdery and fibrous biomass as raw materials were analyzed, which contributes to the advancement of the fundamental principles of wood ceramics and establishes a theoretical basis for the practical exploration and development of biomass materials.

Superfast, large-scale harvesting of cellulose molecules via ethanol pre-swelling engineering of natural fibers

Cellulose molecules, as the basic unit of biomass cellulose, have demonstrated advancements in versatile engineering and modification of cellulose toward sustainable and promising materials in our low-carbon society. However, harvesting high-quality cellulose molecules from natural cellulosic fibers (CF) remains challenging due to strong hydrogen bonds and unique crystalline structure, which limit solvents (such as ionic liquid, IL) transport and diffusion within CF, making the process energy/time-intensively. Herein, we superfast and sustainably engineer biomass fibers into high-performance cellulose molecules via ethanol pre-swelling of CF followed by IL treatment in the microwave (MW) system. Ethanol-pre-swelled cellulosic fibers (SCF) feature modified morphological and structural distinctions, with improved fiber width, pore size, and specific surface area. The ethanol in the SCF structure is appropriately removed through MW heating and cooling, leaving transport and diffusion pathways of IL within the SCF. Such strategy enables the superfast (140 s) and large-scale (kilogram level) harvesting of cellulose molecules with high molecular weight, resulting in high-performance, versatile cellulose ionogel with a 300 % increase in strength and 1027 % in toughness, monitoring human movement, external pressure, and temperature. Our strategy paves the way for time/energy-effectively, sustainably harvesting high-quality polymer molecules from natural sources beyond cellulose toward versatile and advanced materials.

Ecosystem level carbon and moisture fluxes from a high biomass fibre producing jute crop (Corchorus olitorius L): An eddy covariance-based analysis

ContextJute (Corchorus olitorius L) is the second-largest natural fibre producing crop in the world and plays a key role in the rural economy of South Asia particularly India and Bangladesh. It has diverse use due to its long length, lusture, biodegradability, high tensile strength, heat resistance and bendability. Jute is also fast-growing high biomass crop and quantification of the carbon / moisture exchanges is need of the hour towards its sustainability. ObjectiveThe study aims at quantitative estimation of the ecosystem level CO2 and H2O exchanges at diurnal, daily, and seasonal scales from jute crop cultivated in the alluvial soil of the Gangetic delta under a tropical hot and moist sub-humid climate during the years 2021–23. MethodsAn eddy covariance flux tower with suite of meteorological sensors were established at the jute growing farm to assess the high frequency ecosystem level exchanges of CO2, H2O and biometeorological parameters. Concurrent crop bio-physical parameters were also measured. The flux data were processed, quality checked, gap-filled and partitioned to construct seamless time-series of half-hourly fluxes for further analysis towards its dynamics, driving parameters, photosynthetic response and derived eco-physiological parameters. ResultsThe half-hourly CO2 fluxes exhibited significant variations across different growth stages of the jute crop, reaching peak values during the fibre development to maturity stages [mean Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange (NEE) ranging from −20 to −22 µmol m−2 s−1; mean Gross Primary Production (GPP) ranging from 25 to 30 µmol m−2 s−1; and mean Ecosystem Respiration (Reco) ranging from 8 to 10 µmol m−2 s−1]. Seasonal GPP values was found to be high (902–1038 gC m−2) with moderate NEE value of −150 to −223 gC m−2. Seasonal mean Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency (EWUE) was high (2.5–2.7 gC kg−1 H2O) compared to other C3 crop. The daily Crop Coefficient (Kc) peaked at 1–1.2 during 90–110 Days After Sowing (DAS), indicative of high physiological activities. ConclusionDespite relatively short crop duration but high biomass (peak Leaf Area Index, LAI ∼6 m2m−2), the jute crop proved to be a robust gross CO2 sink. Due to the rapid growth, the jute crop allocates a significant portion of GPP as Reco (78–84 %), resulting in a relatively lower seasonal NEE. The high EWUE coupled with a net positive CO2 exchange positioned jute as a potential climate-resilient crop. This study provides valuable insights into the ecosystem exchanges of the jute crop, which in turn contribute to the global carbon and moisture budget.

High-strength alginate fibers wet-spun from pre-crosslinked sodium alginate solutions

Facing the severe problem of microplastic pollution, there is an urgent need to develop biodegradable fibers to replace the petrochemical fibers. Sodium alginate, a biomass polysaccharide, has gained widespread attentions recently for the fiber manufacture. However, the limited mechanical strength of alginate fibers restricts their usages as load-bearing fabrics and reinforcement fibers. Here, we develop a novel strategy to prepare alginate multifilaments using pre-crosslinked sodium alginate solutions. The increase in the pre-crosslinking ratio effectively hinders the disentanglement of sodium alginate chains at high stretches, causing an increase in the shear viscosity of the solution ascertained from the capillarity-driven thinning process from 4.5 Pa·s to 9.9 Pa·s and facilitating the high alignment and orientation of sodium alginate chains. The resultant fibers possess a breaking strength of 474 MPa, elongation at break of 16 %, Young's modulus of 14.4 GPa, and toughness of 51.8 MJ/m3, exceeding most biomass fibers without reinforcement additives. The high orientation degree of 0.865 and high spinnability of alginate multifilaments enable their applications in multi-channel encryption fabrics that exhibit distinct information under various optical conditions. This rheological regulation of spinning solutions provides a facile yet effective strategy to enhance the mechanical performance and broaden application scenarios of alginate fibers.

Birnessite-Type MnO2 Modified Sustainable Biomass Fiber toward Adsorption Removal Heavy Metal Ion from Actual River Aquatic Environment.

In this work, a novel birnessite-type MnO2 modified corn husk sustainable biomass fiber (MnO2@CHF) adsorbent was fabricated for efficient cadmium (Cd) removal from aquatic environments. MnO2@CHF was designed from KMnO4 hydrothermally treated with corn husk fibers. Various characterization revealed that MnO2@CHF possessed the hierarchical structure nanosheets, large specific surface area, and multiple oxygen-containing functional groups. Batch adsorption experimental results indicated that the highest Cd (II) removal rate could be obtained at the optimal conditions of adsorbent amount of 0.200 g/L, adsorption time of 600 min, pH 6.00, and temperature of 40.0 °C. Adsorption isotherm and kinetics results showed that Cd (II) adsorption behavior on MnO2@CHF was a monolayer adsorption process and dominated by chemisorption and intraparticle diffusion. The optimum adsorption capacity (Langmuir model) of Cd (II) on MnO2@CHF was 23.0 mg/g, which was higher than those of other reported common biomass adsorbent materials. Further investigation indicated that the adsorption of Cd (II) on MnO2@CHF involved mainly ion exchange, surface complexation, redox reaction, and electrostatic attraction. Moreover, the maximum Cd (II) removal rate on MnO2@CHF from natural river samples (Xicheng Canal) could reach 59.2% during the first cycle test. This study showed that MnO2@CHF was an ideal candidate in Cd (II) practical application treatment, providing references for resource utilization of agricultural wastes for heavy metal removal.

Conversion of chitosan and biomass fiber into recyclable superhydrophobic aerogel for efficient oil/water separation through a facile and green approach

Developing high performance and recyclable sorbent through a facile, low-cost, and eco-friendly way is quite important for oily wastewater treatment. Among the various fabrication approaches developed so far, the one using biomass waste as starting materials is particularly attractive in view of the cost and environmental benignity. Herein, a magnetic chitosan/typha orientalis fibers aerogel (MCS/TOFs) with excellent elasticity and superhydrophobicity was facilely prepared through freeze-drying and subsequent low-temperature annealing of biomass fibers (typha orientalis fibers, TOFs), chitosan (CS), and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Benefiting from the 3D interconnected porous structure, superhydrophobic-lipophilic surface, and capillary effect of TOFs, the MCS/TOFs aerogel exhibited excellent sorption performance including fast sorption speed (few second to achieve saturation), high sorption capacity (up to 88.4 g/g), large flux (2.2 × 104 L m−2 h−1), and high separation efficiency (98.4%). Additionally, the MCS/TOFs aerogel can be facilely separated from the solution phase by a magnet at the end of the sorption process. After removal of the adsorbate by extrusion, the recovered MCS/TOFs can be used for next separation cycle, delivering high sorption capacity retention (> 91% of the initial capacity) after ten sorption-extrusion cycles. This work provides a facile biomass-based approach to high-performance and recyclable sorbent for oily wastewater treatment, exhibiting great potential in practical applications.

Experimental investigation of the effect of e‐waste fillers on the mechanical properties of Kenaf woven fiber composites

AbstractElectronic waste is one of the environmental issues that is worsening rapidly around the globe and is of particular concern to developing nations. A significant quantity of e‐waste is dumped in landfills without regard for the recycling process, which has a potentially adverse impact on the global ecosystem. In this work, waste printed circuit boards (WPCB) and cassette discs (CD) are grinded into powder form and used as fillers with lignocellulosic kenaf woven fabric blended with epoxy resin. Fabrication is carried out by hand lay‐up techniques assisted by vacuum bagging. Laminates are made with different proportions of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of e‐waste filler by weight percentage of kenaf fabric. Mechanical, water absorption, and surface roughness tests were carried out. The result shows that a 5% addition of waste printed circuit board filler and a 10% addition of waste cassette disc (WCD) filler gave better results. In comparison, waste printed circuit board filler laminates show higher strength than waste cassette disc filler laminates. Experimental results indicate that e‐waste filler can be reinforced with lignocellulosic biomass fiber composites and better used for domestic and industrial applications instead of being dumped into landfills, which causes environmental and health hazards.

Study of ternary deep eutectic solvents to enhance the bending properties of ash wood.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are considered one of the most promising biomass pretreatment reagents, and their research applications in woody fibrous biomass are increasing yearly. Inspired by the research related to wood bending, we explored the effects of different DES systems on the bending development of wood, and the results showed that the addition of anhydrous ferric trichloride to the DES system of lactic acid/choline chloride could enhance the treatment effect that increased the bendability and torsion resistance of ash wood. The anhydrous FeCl3 could act as an active site and provide acidic protons to improve the treatment efficiency of DES. In addition, the addition of an appropriate amount of water can reduce the viscosity of the DES system, and the highest lignin removal rate was obtained at 10 wt% of water in the DES, which resulted in the best mechanical properties and tensile resilience of ash wood, with the tensile strength and stability of 97 MPa and 13.6%, respectively, as determined by experiments with different water contents in different mass fractions. Therefore, using a DES can effectively improve the bending properties of wood.

Environmentally friendly separators based on cellulose diacetate-based crosslinked networks for lithium-ion batteries

Biomass fibers are recognized as degradable and renewable green natural polymer materials. However, research on biomass fiber-based lithium battery separators is still relatively limited. Here, a kind of cellulose diacetate-based composite separator for lithium batteries was investigated via electrostatic spinning technology. In this study, M-CDA/PEO/BM composite separators were obtained by modifying fiber-based nonwovens through deacetylation, followed by an infiltration process and thermal cross-linking reaction to introduce boehmite (BM) and polyethylene oxide (PEO). Wherein the infiltrating solution is composed of polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDE), polyetheramine (DPPG), and boehmite particles. The results demonstrate that this nanofibre composite separator exhibits good heat tolerance (no shrinkage at 200 °C), excellent wettability (contact angles only 15.1°), and high ionic conductivity (2.83 mS cm−1) in electrolytes. Additionally, the cells utilizing the composite separator exhibited superior cycle performance and better multiplier performance (170 mAh·g−1 at 0.5C) compared to the polypropylene separator that is currently available in the market, under identical circumstances. This renewable composite possesses remarkable properties that position it as a highly promising option for lithium-ion battery separators with exceptional performance.

Effect of pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide at different pHs on corn stalk: Characterizations of structure, composition, and pyrolysis properties

Appropriate pretreatment plays a pivotal role in biomass pyrolysis as it facilitates high-value utilization of pyrolysis products. In this study, hydrogen peroxide pretreatment with cleanliness, economy, and efficiency was applied for fast pyrolysis of corn stalks. The effects of pyrolysis temperature, hydrogen peroxide pretreatment, and different pHs on the structure of corn stalks and the properties of resultant pyrolysis products were investigated. The results revealed that the pretreatment could effectively promote lignin depolymerization and significantly reduce the reaction activation energy (E). Meanwhile, the pretreatment increased the cellulose content and removed the majority of alkali and alkaline earth metals from the biomass. The removal of lignin and ash by the pretreatment was affected by the pH of the hydrogen peroxide solution. Moreover, the composition of bio-oil changed significantly. Among them, the relative content of levoglucosan in the bio-oil from untreated raw material was only 1.38 %. After pretreatment, the relative content of levoglucosan was up to 14.5 %. The present findings offer valuable guidance for the further exploration and exploitation on hydrogen peroxide pretreatment for depolymerization of woody fibrous biomass as well as for the preparation of high-value chemical products.

Electronic Modulation Strategy for Mass-Producible Ultrastrong Multifunctional Biomass-Based Fiber Aerogel Devices: Interfacial Bridging.

The emergence of green flexible aerogel electronics based on natural materials is expected to solve part of the global environmental and energy crisis. However, it is still challenging to achieve large-scale production and multifunctional stable applications of natural biomass fiber aerogel (BFA) materials. Herein, we exploit the interfacial bridging between the flower-type titanium dioxide nanoarray (FTNA) and natural fiber substrates to modulate the electronic structure and loss mechanism to achieve multifunctional properties. Specifically, the fibrous substrate with wrinkled features induces lattice strain in titania through precise interfacial bridging, effectively improving the intrinsic properties of the BFA materials. This interfacial bridging regulation strategy is also confirmed by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAS). More importantly, the construction of BFA products for different macroscopic and multifunctional applications through simple processing methods will facilitate the transition from natural materials to multifunctional flexible electronics. Therefore, the as-prepared blanket-type BFA (TCBFA) has good mechanical properties, electromagnetic protection properties, thermal stealth properties, high-temperature flame retardancy, and UV resistance. Meanwhile, the membrane-type (TCBFAM) multifunctional wearable fiber aerogel device exhibits superior flexibility, efficient Joule heating performance, and a smart response. This regulation strategy provides another concept for the design and innovation of green multifunctional fiber-integrated aerogels.

Experimental investigation on the preparation and surface treatment of biomass fibers for stone mastic asphalt mixtures modification

With the sustainable development of infrastructure construction materials, the use of renewable biomass resources in asphalt mixtures could contribute to better sustainability. The bamboo fibers and corn straw fibers with lengths ranging from 1.5 to 12 mm were produced in the laboratory through the proposed crushing, steaming, and grinding processes. A surface treatment with the phenolic resin copolymer modifier was utilized to reconstruct the micro-surface of biomass fibers. The surface treatment effectively reduced the oil absorption multiplier and mass loss of proposed biomass fibers by about 0.6 and 2 %, respectively. The FI-IR absorption peak and change of micromorphology also validated the effective surface reconstructive. Afterward, the virgin asphalt (70#) mixtures and SBS-modified asphalt mixtures with/without biomass fibers were produced for road performance tests and fatigue resistance tests. The results showed that the proposed biomass fibers contributed to about 20 % to 30 % improvement in the high-temperature performance, while the low-temperature cracking resistance was also obviously increased. In addition, the moisture damage resistance and fatigue life were also improved after the addition of biomass fiber modifier, in which the residual stability and tensile strength ratio were increased by about 9 % and 6 % by comparing that with fibreless mixtures, respectively. By comparing the effect of different types and lengths of fiber modifiers, the long bamboo fiber with surface treatment represented the optimized strengthening efficiency. The enhancement mechanism of proposed biomass fiber modifiers was revealed through the microstructure observation. The feasibility of using proposed biomass fibers with surface treatment for producing high-performance SMA has been verified, which can be utilized in the field application for replacing the lignin fiber modifiers for achieving better sustainability.

Preparation and optimization of chemically modified corn straw/chitosan/PLA composite using RSM

In this study, an optimized composite was prepared based on chemically modified corn straw, chitosan, and poly(lactic acid) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The composite was produced by screw extruding and hot pressing. The Box Behnken Design (BBD) software was used to design the test to optimize the composite composition. The optimum ratio of 3 factors, e.g. chemically modified corn straw (0.10 to 0.40 g), chitosan (0.25 to 0.75 g), and poly(lactic acid) (2.00 to 3.00 g) on the response value (bending strength) of the composite was investigated. RSM-BBD provided the optimum combination of composites. The novel composite prepared under the optimized factors was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, mechanical testing, water absorption tests, contact angle tests, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the mechanical strength, e.g., bending strength, impact strength, and tensile strength of chemically modified corn straw based composite were 21.6 MPa, 4.43 kJ/m2, and 20.0 MPa, respectively, which increased by 23.5%, 13.9%, and 18.7% compared to native corn straw based composite. Improved mechanical strength and hydrophobicity for chemically modified corn straw/chitosan/poly(lactic acid) demonstrated that chemically modified biomass fibers and bio-based degradable polymers have the potential to produce environmentally friendly composites.

Structure and thermal properties of cellulose nanofibrils extracted from alkali–ultrasound treated windmill palm fibers

Windmill palm, a tree species that is native to China, has gained attention with regard to the production of substantial amounts of biomass fibers via yearly pruning. This study investigates the structure and thermal properties of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) obtained from windmill palm biomass, with the goal of promoting the usage of these CNFs. Alkali–ultrasound treatments are employed herein to prepare samples of the CNFs. The micromorphology of the prepared samples is observed using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction analysis is used to examine the aggregated structure of the samples, and thermogravimetric analysis is used to investigate their thermal properties. Results indicate that during alkali hydrolysis when obtaining CNFs, the fiber cell wall exhibits distinct spiral cracking. The diameter of the obtained nanocellulose is <90 nm. The removal of lignin and hemicellulose materials from the fiber cell enhances the crystallinity of CNFs to as high as 60 %, surpassing that of windmill palm single fibers. The thermal decomposition temperatures of the CNFs are found to be 469 °C and 246 °C for the crystalline and amorphous regions, respectively.

Vine shoots pre-treatment strategies for improved hydrogen production and metabolites redistribution in Clostridium butyricum

This work deals with the use of vine shoots, a renewable, largely available, lacking of alternatives lignocellulosic material as a feedstock for hydrogen production. Physical pre-treatments by steam explosion (SE), chemical by organosolv (OS) and biological by laccase (LAC) were carried out in vine shoots to disrupt the cell fiber and increase the biomass hydrolysis and fermentation into hydrogen (H2). After SE, there was a slight decrease in cellulose and hemicellulose contents in biomass fibers, while a decrease in lignin content occurred after OS pre-treatment. There were no quantifiable changes after laccase pre-treatment, however the enzyme-substrate oxidative reactions were favorable for hydrolysis and fermentation since an increase in soluble sugars and H2 production was observed with LAC vine shoots as substrate. 300.1 mL H2/L were obtained from raw material vine shoots, while 649.4, 399.8 and 749.7 mL H2/L were obtained from biomass pre-treated by SE, OS and LAC, respectively. Furthermore, the hydrolysis of pre-treated biomass by addition of cellulase was evaluated to improve H2 production. Higher amounts of H2 were obtained from hydrolyzed biomass in relation to non-hydrolyzed ones (154.2%, 602.0% and 167.1% more with SE, OS and LAC hydrolyzed, respectively). In all cases, the mixed acid pathway was carried out by Clostridium butyricum, since acetic and butyric acids were produced.

Comparing four kinds of lignocellulosic biomass for the performance of fiber/PHB/PBS bio-composites

A new class of bio-composites was developed by utilizing four kinds of lignocellulosic biomass fiber (bagasse, bamboo, rice husk, and rice straw) as filling fibers. Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) in a mixture ratio of 7:3 were used as matrix materials with hot-press molding. The performance of the resulting composites was evaluated by compositional analyses, mechanical analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and morphological analysis. The interfacial adhesion, thermal stability, and comprehensive mechanical properties of the alkali treated bamboo/PHB/PBS composite were highest among the four bio-composites. The bending strength, tensile strength, and impact strength for alkali treated bamboo/PHB/PBS composite was 19.82 MPa, 12.97 MPa, and 4.30 kJ/m2, respectively. The thermal stability for NaOH modified bamboo/PHB/PBS composite was slightly superior to the other three composites, with the initial pyrolysis temperature of 248 °C, moderate pyrolysis speed, and the amount of pyrolysis residue (5.81%). The results showed the suitability of biomass fiber and biodegradable polymer for producing environmentally friendly composite materials.

Bionic multifunctional fibrous materials for efficient oil/water separation

AbstractSpecial wettability fibrous materials have received a lot of attention because of their good connectivity, mechanical flexibility, large specific surface area, and ease of shape manipulation. Their outstanding performance paves the way toward efficient oil/water separation in a variety of environments and for separation requirements. This paper discusses the distinct advantages, challenges, and future research directions of various substrates for fibrous materials, such as nonwoven natural biomass fibers, fabrics, electrospinning fibers, metallic fibers, and inorganic nonmetallic fibers. The special wettability fibrous filter materials and fibrous adsorbents are summarized based on the different separation methods. The principles of preparation of various special wettabilities are introduced, and the unique advantages of fibrous adsorbents are emphasized. The preparation strategy of fibrous filter materials is discussed, as well as some representative work and research progress. The benefits, drawbacks, and research directions in terms of various materials are examined. This article emphasizes the pollution resistance of fibrous filter materials and the elasticity of fibrous adsorbents. Finally, the prospects in terms of the problems, challenges, and future development of special wettability fibrous materials used in oil/water separation are discussed.

Evolution of biomass particles during pelletization process

Pulverizing is an essential unit operation in co-firing biomass with coal. Pulverizers are only compatible with pellet forms of fibrous biomass materials and crush them down to their original forming particle sizes. That is why the data on the size distribution of the particles forming a biomass pellet is crucial to achieving optimum combustion conditions. The current study determines the internal particle size distribution of pellets after wet disintegration, following ISO 17830 standard, and aims to suggest improvements to the mentioned standard based on new measured evidence. Experiments were carried out on white wood pellets (no bark) and brown wood pellets containing bark at four water temperatures: 20, 40, 60, and 95 °C, with or without stirring. The particle size distribution of the pre-pelletizer wood particles was also measured and compared with particles in the formed pellets. Ambient water temperature of 20 °C was found to be adequate for the complete disintegration of pellets, and no mechanical stirring was required. About 30% of particles in the disintegrated pellets were 0.5–1.0 mm. Pelletization changes the particle size distribution to smaller particles. The disintegrated bark pellets contained more fines than white pellets.