Valorization of Biorefinery Side-Stream Products: Combination of Humins with Polyfurfuryl Alcohol for Composite Elaboration

A challenge of today’s industry is to transform low-value side products into more value-added materials. Humins, a byproduct derived from sugar conversion processes, can be transformed into high value-added products. Thermosetting furanic composites were elaborated with cellulose filters. Large quantities of humins were included into a polyfuranic thermosetting network. Comparisons were made with composites generated with polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) and with PFA/lignin. It was concluded that new chemical interactions were created between the side-chain oxygen groups of the humins and the PFA network. Analysis of the fracture surface of the composites containing humins lead to the conclusion that higher interfacial bonding and more efficient stress transfer between the matrix and the fibers is present. The higher ductility of the humins-based matrix allows for a two-fold higher tensile strength in comparison with other composites tested. Incorporation of humins decreases the brittleness of the furanic composites, which is one major drawback of the pure PFA composites

Experimental and Modeling Studies on the Solubility of d‑Arabinose, d‑Fructose, d‑Glucose, d‑Mannose, Sucrose and d‑Xylose in Methanol and Methanol–Water Mixtures

The solubilities of d-glucose, d-arabinose, d-xylose, d-fructose, d-mannose, and sucrose in methanol and methanol–water mixtures (<25 wt % water) were determined at temperatures between 295 and 353 K using a unique high-throughput screening technique. The data were modeled with a UNIQUAC framework with an average error between calculated and experimental data of 3.7%. The results provide input for the design of efficient chemical processes for the conversion of these sugars into valuable biobased building blocks in methanol–water mixtures