Extraction Of Cellulose Fibers Research Articles

Implementation of a Circular Bioeconomy: Obtaining Cellulose Fibers Derived from Portuguese Vine Pruning Residues for Heritage Conservation, Oxidized with TEMPO and Ultrasonic Treatment

Inspired by the principles of the circular economy, using vineyard pruning residues as a source of raw materials for producing nanocellulose is a promising approach to transforming vineyard resources into value-added products. This study aimed to obtain and characterize cellulose and cellulose nanofibers from such sources. The cellulose collected from different fractions of micronized stems (500, 300, 150 μm, and retain) of vines was submitted to autohydrolysis and finally bleached. Soon, it underwent treatment via (2,2,6,6-tetrametil-piperidi-1-nil)oxil (TEMPO) oxidation and ultrasonic to obtain nanocellulose fibers. The cellulose films were obtained at a microscale thickness of 0.05 ± 0.00; 0.37 ± 0.03; 0.06 ± 0.01 e 0.030 ± 0.01 mm, with the following particle size: 500 µm, 300 µm, 150 µm, and retain (<150 µm). The bleaching efficiency of the cellulose fibers of each particle size fraction was evaluated for color through a colorimeter. In addition, the extraction of cellulose fibers was assessed by infrared with Fourier transform, and size and shape were assessed by microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction were performed to confirm the thermal and crystalline properties. Combining autohydrolysis with a bleaching step proved to be a promising and ecological alternative to obtain white fractions rich in cellulose. It was possible to perform the extraction of cellulose to obtain nanocellulose fibers from vine pruning residues for the development of coatings for the conservation of heritage buildings from environmental conditions through an environmentally friendly process.

Single Step Heating for Facile Extraction of Cellulose Fibers from Rice Straw and Its Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Coating for Catalytic Reduction Application

Single Step Heating for Facile Extraction of Cellulose Fibers from Rice Straw and Its Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Coating for Catalytic Reduction Application

Characteristics and Functional Application of Cellulose Fibers Extracted from Cow Dung Wastes.

The widespread use of petroleum-based products has led to increasing environmental and ecological problems, while the extraction and application of various natural cellulose fibers have received increasing attention. This research focuses on the extraction of cellulose fibers from cow dung using different treatments: hot water, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) boilings, as well as a selection of the best quality cow dung fibers for papermaking with quality control. The study's objective is to find a sustainable method to extract as much material as possible from renewable biomass feedstock. The results show that the best extraction rate is obtained by KOH boiling with 42% cellulose fibers extracted. Corresponding handmade paper has a burst index of 2.48 KPam2/g, a tear index of 4.83 mNm2/g and a tensile index of 26.72 Nm/g. This project expands the sources of natural cellulose fibers to an eco-friendly and sustainable one and opens up new applications for cow dung.

Effect of Processing Time of Steam-Explosion for the Extraction of Cellulose Fibers from Phoenix canariensis Palm Leaves as Potential Renewable Feedstock for Materials.

This paper briefly discusses the utilization of pruning wastes as a lignocellulosic source of cellulose fibers, which could be of potential use in the development of valuable materials such as sustainable textiles and fillers for footwear components including uppers and soles. Phoenix canariensis palm leaves, one of the most common plants found in the local environment of the Alicante region (Spain), was used as a biomass raw material. Determining appropriate processing parameters and their desired range of maximum cellulose extraction states is key to improving yields. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the effect of processing conditions on cellulose extraction by optimizing the hydrothermal process, as a part of overall combined processes involving several steps. Specifically, the time of the steam-explosion stage was varied between 15 and 33 min in order to maximize the cellulose extraction yield. The composition of both the extracted fibers and the resulting by-product solutions generated during the different steps were determined by FTIR and TGA in order to analyze the effectiveness of removing hemicellulose, lignin and extractives as well as the removed substances at each stage for their further valorization. Additionally, the morphology of cellulosic fibers was evaluated by SEM and their crystallinity by XRD. Crystalline cellulose fibers were successfully extracted from pruning biomass wastes, achieving more efficient removal of hemicellulose and lignin when the hydrothermal process was assessed over 25-33 min. This resulted in finer and smoother fibers, but the crystallinity of α-cellulose decreased as the time of steam-explosion increased to 33 min. The characterization of waste solutions generated after the different extraction steps confirmed that the most effective treatments to remove lignin and hemicellulose from the cell wall are alkaline pretreatment and a hydrothermal process.

Process optimization and recyclable utilization of organic solvent for the green degumming of hemp

Organic solvents are emerging green chemical reagents for the extraction of cellulose fibers, most of which are non-toxic, highly effective, and eco-friendly. However, the high costs of reagents and the disposal of degumming black liquors remain challenges. This research firstly investigated the optimal one-step extraction condition for hemp fibers and the recovery possibility of Ethylene Glycol (EG) solvent by vacuum distillation. Specifically, the effect of recovery and reuse rate of solvents of degumming black liquor was appraised. The results indicated that solvent recovery rates from three consecutive vacuum distillations reached 95.65 %, 93.02 %, 92.86 %, respectively, indicating a superior solvent recovery. Specifically, the effect of reuse times of recovery solutions on surface morphology, chemical composition, and cellulose crystallinity of degummed fibers was systematically evaluated, indicating that recycled solvents still maintained effective ability similar to original EG for separation of non-cellulosic materials in raw hemp. Compared with the traditional alkaline method (TAL), the treated fibers achieved a higher cellulose content of 83.01–90.23 %, fiber yield of 60.50–64.10 %, and tenacity of 6.04–6.25 cN/dtex, fulfilling the requirements of the national standards and further spinning process. To sum up, this study demonstrated that the recycling degumming of hemp with organic solvent is of great potential for cellulose fiber extraction with less chemical and energy usage, environmental pollution, as well as high efficiency, which realized further recycle economy and sustainable development.

Evaluation of the extraction of cellulose fibers from banana pseudostems with potential use in the paper industry

Cellulose fibers were obtained from banana pseudostem residues by two different chemical routes: 30% sodium hydroxide and 8% hydrogen peroxide. The average yields obtained were 24.4% and 49.3%, respectively. Additionally, according to the SEM results, more fibrillous material is obtained under alkaline conditions. On the other hand, XRD diffractograms of the materials obtained by both methods, show similarities, however, a peak in 2θ = 16 ° in the material treated with H2O2, suggests that the material that was not completely degraded and therefore concluding greater effectiveness with the alkali treatment. Thus, the results obtained to date are not conclusive, therefore, the fibers obtained are still characterized by other complementary SEM analyzes and other techniques to define their dimensions and morphology with greater precision and from these results determine the possible products of the paper industry for which said fibers could be used.

The simultaneous extraction of cellulose fiber and crystal biogenic silica from the same rice husk and evaluation in cellulose‐based composite bioplastic films

AbstractBioplastics are environmental‐friendly materials that have been essentially required to reduce global pollution resulting from the accumulation of conventional plastics. The current study was focused on simultaneous extraction of cellulose fiber and crystal biogenic silica from the same rice husks and preparation of silica‐reinforced cellulose‐based composite bioplastic films via casting method to evaluate in packaging applications. Herein, ZnCl2 was utilized as a solvent for the extracted cellulose fiber for the first time. As the silica content increased, barrier properties of bioplastic films increased. The highest tensile strength value in bioplastic films was obtained at 1347 kN/m2 with 2% weight silica content. The biodegradability of bioplastic films in the soil after 21 days varied between 25.5% and 55.7%, which values were significantly higher than conventional plastics. After evaluating these properties, we strongly believe that composite bioplastic films have a high potential to be utilized as green packaging material.

Comparative Study on Extraction of Cellulose Fiber from Rice Straw Waste from Chemo-Mechanical and Pulping Method.

Inspired by nature, cellulose extracted from plant wastes has been explored, due to its great potential as an alternative for synthetic fiber and filler that contributes to structural performance. The drive of this study was to extract, treat, and evaluate the characteristics of rice straw (RS) (Oryza sativa L.) cellulose as a biodegradable reinforcement to be utilized in polymer base materials. Two routes of extraction and treatment were performed via the pulping (Route 1) and chemo-mechanical methods (Route 2), in order to discover comparative characteristics of the synthesized cellulose fiber. Comprehensive characterization of RS cellulose was carried out to determine crystallinity, surface morphology, and chemical bonding properties, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), respectively. The XRD test results showed that the crystallinity index (CI) of cellulose powder (CP) decreased after the surface modification treatment, Route 2, from 64.50 to 50.10% CI for modified cellulose powder (MCP), due to the surface alteration of cellulose structure. From Route 1, the crystallinity of the fibers decreased up to 33.5% (dissolve cellulose, DC) after the pulp went through the surface modification and dissolution processes, resulting from the transformation of cellulose phase into para-crystalline structure. FESEM micrographs displayed a significant reduction of raw RS diameter from 7.78 µm to 3.34 µm (treated by Route 1) and 1.06 µm (treated by Route 2). The extracted and treated cellulose via both routes, which was considerably dominated by cellulose II because of the high percentage of alkaline used, include the dissolve cellulose (DC). The dissolution process, using NMMO solvent, was performed on the pulp fiber produced by Route 1. The fiber change from cellulose I to cellulose II after undergoes the process. Thus, the dissolution process maintains cellulose II but turned the pulp to the cellulose solution. The acquired characteristics of cellulose from RS waste, extracted by the employed methods, have a considerably greater potential for further application in numerous industries. It was concluded that the great achievement of extracted RS is obtained the nanosized fibers after surface modification treatment, which is very useful for filler in structural composite applications.

Citrus sinensis cellulose fibres incorporated with SPIONs for effective removal of crystal violet dye

Water pollution is one of the most threatening problem globally as the freshwater reserves were contaminated with dye and other toxic effluents released from the industries. This study utilizes nanoparticles along with the waste substance to enhance the removal efficiency of crystal violet dye. Peels of orange are generally discarded and considered to be waste, where it is rich of fibers and has got potential applications. Thus, in this study Citrus sinensis peels were collected, dried, powdered and characterized using various analytical techniques like Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive X- Ray analysis (SEM- EDX). Peels were utilized for the extraction of cellulose fiber which was further characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDX and coated with Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) and characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDX and Zeta potential . Peels, extracted cellulose fiber and cellulose fiber coated SPIONs were used in batch adsorption study for the removal of crystal violet dye. Cellulose fiber was found to remove crystal violet effectively and adsorption parameters like adsorbate-adsorbent concentration, pH and contact time were optimized and it was found to obey Langmuir isotherm. • Extraction of cellulose fibre from Citrus sinensis peels and characterized. • Synthesis of SPIONs, coating of SPIONs with cellulose fibres and characterized. • Peels, fibre and SPIONs coated fibre were used in batch adsorption study for crystal violet removal. • Cellulose fibre removed crystal violet efficiently and the it followed Langmuir isotherm (r 2 = 0.91).

Ultrasound-assisted alkali-urea pre-treatment of Miscanthus × giganteus for enhanced extraction of cellulose fiber

Ultrasound-assisted-alkali-urea (UAAU) pre-treatment of miscanthus biomass was investigated for enhanced delignification and extraction of cellulose fiber. The effects of pre-treatment conditions investigated were: sonication time (10.0, 15.0 and 20.0 min), alkali (NaOH) concentration (2.0, 3.5 and 5.0 %, w/v) and urea-concentration (1.0, 1.75 and 2.5 %, w/v) on the delignification and cellulose content. The process parameters were studied and optimized using a response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box Behnken Design (BBD). From the RSM-BBD analysis, he optimized pre-treatment conditions were 2.1 % NaOH, 1.7 % urea and 15.5-min sonication time with maximal cellulose and lignin contents of 47.8 % (w/w) and 27.5 % (w/w) respectively. The pre-treated samples were further characterized by FTIR, colorimeter, SEM, XRD, and TGA analyses. The UAAU pre-treated samples have higher delignification and cellulose contents than the AU pre-treatment without sonication. Furthermore, the ultrasound process allowed selective removal of lignin without substantially degrading the functionalities of cellulose fiber. The UAAU pre-treated samples exhibited higher thermal stability, fibrillation, crystallinity index and smaller crystallite size.

Remediation of spent alkaline solutions in the production of cellulose fibers from Spanish broom by membrane operations

Spent alkaline solutions produced in the extraction cycle of cellulose fibers from Spanish broom (Spartium junceum L.) pose serious problems of environmental impact due to their high polluting load. A rationalization of the whole extraction cycle could be obtained through the recycling, purification and reuse of the extracting solutions with significant reduction of the polluting load.In this work the use of ceramic microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membranes in tubular configuration was investigated for the treatment of spent alkaline solutions coming from the extraction of cellulose fibers in order to obtain a suitable solution reusable for new extraction cycles. For UF membranes with molecular weight cut-off of 1 and 3kDa, the effect of transmembrane pressure (TMP) and cross flow velocity (CFV) on the permeate flux, total organic carbon (TOC) and lignin content was investigated.An integrated membrane process was proposed on the basis of experimental results. It includes a preliminary treatment of MF devoted to the removal of suspended solids from the spent solution, followed by a UF treatment of the microfiltered solution with 1kDa tubular membranes. In optimized operating conditions (TMP, 4.5bar; CFV, 8.0m/s; temperature, 25°C) the UF membrane showed a rejection toward TOC and lignin of 68.9% and 86.8%, respectively, and a steady-state permeate flux of about 12kg/m2h. The integrated process permitted to reduce the initial TOC of the spent solution of 80%, producing a final permeate stream that can be reused for new extraction cycles.

Preparation of lightweight polypropylene composites reinforced by cotton stalk fibers from combined steam flash-explosion and alkaline treatment

Abstract A new method of combined steam flash-explosion and alkaline treatment (SFE-AT) was developed to extract cellulose fibers from bark of cotton stalks, and lightweight composites with favorable properties were made from the obtained fibers and polypropylene (PP). It was reported that the cellulose fibers from bark of cotton stalks had higher mechanical properties than those from most lignocellulosic byproducts. However, conventional method of using strong alkaline condition (30–100 g/L NaOH) for extraction of cellulose fibers from lignocellulosic byproducts led to environmental pollution and high cost. In this study, bark of cotton stalks were treated using three methods, including alkaline treatment (AT), steam flash-explosion (SFE) and SFE-AT. The different cotton stalk fibers were blended with PP fibers and compression-molded into composites under optimized conditions (temperature of 170 °C, pressure of 3 MPa, 4 min). The results showed that PP composites reinforced by cotton stalk fibers from SFE-AT had the best mechanical properties and stability to water, attributing to the largest surface area and highest cellulose content of cotton stalk fibers by SFE-AT. SFE could separate bark of cotton stalks with high efficiency and subsequent mild AT could sufficiently remove the non-cellulose impurities by using NaOH solution with concentration as low as 5 g/L. Ultra-lightweight PP composites with the bulk density of 0.27 g/cm3 could be prepared with cotton stalk fibers by SFE-AT. Overall, the method of SFE-AT with high efficiency and low cost could be very useful in exploring industrial applications of bark of cotton stalks and other lignocellulosic byproducts.

Experimental Investigation on the Thermal Insulation Properties of Eic-Cellulose

The material with low thermal conductivity means it has a high insulating capability for reducing heat transfer. One of materials for insulation is cellulose. This study presents a insulation material of cellulose made from reeds imperata cylindrical type with the extraction process. The extraction of cellulose fibers to form a sheet by adding 3.5% Na-CMC (Sodium Cellulose Carboksil Metyl). The process of forming the sheet uses blender for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 60 minutes. Furthermore, each mixture are put into the oven with temperature of 40°C for 36 hours. There are three parameters will be investigated, i.e. thermal conductivity, density and thermal capacity. The results showed that the lowest and the highest of thermal conductivities were 0.22 W/m K and a maximum 0.36 W/m K, respectively.

Breaking Down the Complex Regulatory Web Underlying Lignin Biosynthesis

Vascular plants would not dominate the terrestrial ecosystem today if they had not evolved the ability to synthesize lignin. Lignin, the second most abundant biological material on earth (after cellulose), helps vascular plants stand upright and serves as a scaffold for water and nutrient transport systems, enabling vascular plants to tower over their bryophyte relatives. Lignin is one of the most difficult biopolymers to degrade, making it an excellent barrier to pests and pathogens. Unfortunately, lignin also interferes with efforts to extract sugars from plant cellulose to convert them to biofuels, and it represents the major barrier to efficient extraction of cellulose fibers for pulp and paper production (Novaes et al., 2010). Thus, while lignin is indispensible to vascular plants, much time and money is spent trying to get rid of it. Lignin is a complex material primarily comprising so-called monolignol subunits, mainly derived from coniferyl alcohol (which forms guaiacyl units after polymerization), and sinapyl alcohol (which forms syringyl units after polymerization), as well as smaller amounts of phenylpropanoid aldehydes, acetates, esters, and other compounds. While some lignin biosynthetic enzymes and associated transcription factors have been identified and manipulated to alter lignin content and/or composition, and genomics-based descriptions of lignin pathway genes are available, the genetic pathway regulating lignin formation remains to be fully elucidated. Powerful techniques have now been developed to elucidate the regulatory pathways underlying lignin formation in the energy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and wood formation (in general) in poplar (Populus trichocarpa). Shen et al. (pages 4342–4361) employed two systems to identify candidate genes for lignin biosynthesis in the complex switchgrass genome: the fourth internode region of mature tillers, which contains a wide range of lignification and lignified tissue types, and suspension cells capable of undergoing lignification (see figure). They compared all available putative switchgrass unique transcript sequences to known Arabidopsis thaliana sequences involved in lignin biosynthesis and tested their expression in internodes and suspension cells using microarray analysis. Protein sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis were used to identify candidate genes, which were tested using RNA silencing, culminating in the identification of candidate genes encoding enzymes involved in the early steps of the currently accepted monolignol biosynthesis pathway and the construction of a more detailed putative pathway to monolignols in switchgrass. Induced (+) and noninduced (−) switchgrass suspension cells harvested at days 1 and 7 and stained with phloroglucinol. The red color indicates the presence of lignin. (Reprinted from Shen et al. [2013], Figure 2B.) Lin et al. (pages 4324–4341) set out to identify a regulatory hierarchy underlying wood formation, specifically, the network of genes targeted by Secondary Wall-Associated NAC Domain-B1 (SND1-B1), a transcription factor affecting wood formation in poplar. First, they developed a differentiating xylem protoplast system from poplar stems, which is no small feat, since wood-forming cells are generally resistant to protoplast isolation. Protoplasts were transfected with SND1-B1 and differentially expressed genes identified using RNA sequencing. The authors inferred direct interactions between SND1-B1 and the identified genes by integrating time-course RNA sequencing data and top-down graphical Gaussian modeling–based algorithms. To verify these inferred interactions in vivo, they developed an antibody-based chromatin immunoprecipitation method for wood-forming cells, which is also a difficult task, as these cells are highly recalcitrant to nuclear and chromatin isolation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of differentiating xylem and the production of stably transgenic P. trichocarpa helped confirm the functions of the identified genes. By combining robust genetic and cell culture techniques, much can be learned about the material that helps vascular plants stand tall and interferes with their utilization.

A Two-Step Chemical Process for the Extraction of Cellulose Fiber and Pectin from Mulberry Branch Bark Efficiently

In this work, a two-step method for the extraction of pectin and cellulose fiber from mulberry branch bark, a by-product of sericultural industry, was described. The method was based on the acid extraction of pectin and subsequently alkali treatment for obtaining cellulose fibers. The obtained pectin was high purity with the total galacturonic acid content of 85.46% ± 2.76% and the degree of esterification of 71.13% ± 1.67%. The chemical composition analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and TG analysis were used to characterize the cellulose fiber at different processing stages. After the two-step chemical process, the cellulose content was increased from 37.38% in original bark to 92.60% in cellulose fiber. The FTIR spectra revealed the removal of pectin, hemicelluloses and lignin from the bark by acid extraction and alkali treatment. The XRD and TG results indicated that the obtained cellulose fibers were with the increased crystallinity and thermal stability, whose crystallinity and degradation temperature were 86.36% ± 5.56% and 355 °C, respectively. This work may provide a new approach for high utilization of mulberry branch bark.

A new physical–chemical process for the efficient production of cellulose fibers from Spanish broom ( Spartium junceum L.)

A novel and efficient method for the extraction of cellulose fibers from Spanish broom ( Spartium junceum L.) is presented. The method is based on the sequential combination between an initial chemical stage (alkaline digestion) and a subsequent physical–chemical stage, consisting of compression with hot air in an autoclave followed by rapid decompression (DiCoDe process, digestion–compression–decompression). The alkaline mother liquor deriving from the initial digestion step can be conveniently recycled after centrifugation followed by ultrafiltration. The process is characterized by the production of fibers with excellent physical–chemical properties, such as high mechanical resistance and high elasticity, and rapid production times. The fibers obtained after the DiCoDe process can be further softened and whitened by means of enzymatic digestion. Fibers were morphologically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while their composition and physical–chemical properties were determined by conventional methods, including colorimetry, TAPPI protocols, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffractometry.