23 research outputs found
Synthesis of lignin based composites of TiO2 for potential application as radical scavengers in sunscreen formulation
Structural Characterization and Comparison of Switchgrass Ball-milled Lignin Before and After Dilute Acid Pretreatment
Structural characterization and evaluation of the antioxidant activity of DES-Lignin isolated from Cunninghamia lanceolata
Effect of alkaline lignin modification on cellulase–lignin interactions and enzymatic saccharification yield
Production of Solid Biofuel from Agricultural Wastes of the Palm Oil Industry by Hydrothermal Treatment
All Biomass and UV Protective Composite Composed of Compatibilized Lignin and Poly (Lactic-acid)
Effect of hydrothermal pretreatment on the structural changes of alkaline ethanol lignin from wheat straw
Poly(acrylic acid)/gum arabic/ZnO semi-IPN hydrogels: synthesis, characterization and their optimizations by response surface methodology
The effect of liquid hot water pretreatment on the chemical–structural alteration and the reduced recalcitrance in poplar
Abstract Background Hydrothermal pretreatment using liquid hot water (LHW) is capable of substantially reducing the cell wall recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass. It enhances the saccharification of polysaccharides, particularly cellulose, into glucose with relatively low capital required. Due to the close association with biomass recalcitrance, the structural change of the components of lignocellulosic materials during the pretreatment is crucial to understand pretreatment chemistry and advance the bio-economy. Although the LHW pretreatment has been extensively applied and studied, the molecular structural alteration during pretreatment and its significance to reduced recalcitrance have not been well understood. Results We investigated the effects of LHW pretreatment with different severity factors (log R 0) on the structural changes of fast-grown poplar (Populus trichocarpa). With the severity factor ranging from 3.6 to 4.2, LHW pretreatment resulted in a substantial xylan solubilization by 50–77% (w/w, dry matter). The molecular weights of the remained hemicellulose in pretreated solids also have been significantly reduced by 63–75% corresponding to LHW severity factor from 3.6 to 4.2. In addition, LHW had a considerable impact on the cellulose structure. The cellulose crystallinity increased 6–9%, whereas its degree of polymerization decreased 35–65% after pretreatment. We found that the pretreatment severity had an empirical linear correlation with the xylan solubilization (R 2 = 0.98, r = + 0.99), hemicellulose molecular weight reduction (R 2 = 0.97, r = − 0.96 and R 2 = 0.93, r = − 0.98 for number-average and weight-average degree of polymerization, respectively), and cellulose crystallinity index increase (R 2 = 0.98, r = + 0.99). The LHW pretreatment also resulted in small changes in lignin structure such as decrease of β-O-4′ ether linkages and removal of cinnamyl alcohol end group and acetyl group, while the S/G ratio of lignin in LHW pretreated poplar residue remained no significant change compared with the untreated poplar. Conclusions This study revealed that the solubilization of xylan, the reduction of hemicellulose molecular weights and cellulose degree of polymerization, and the cleavage of alkyl–aryl ether bonds in lignin resulted from LHW pretreatment are critical factors associated with reduced cell wall recalcitrance. The chemical–structural changes of the three major components, cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose, during LHW pretreatment provide useful and fundamental information of factors governing feedstock recalcitrance during hydrothermal pretreatment