Enhancing hemicelluloses removal from a softwood sulfite pulp

Jianguo Li; Hongjie Zhang; Chao Duan; Yishan Liu; Yonghao Ni

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.04.107

Enhancing hemicelluloses removal from a softwood sulfite pulp

Bioresour Technol. 2015 Sep:192:11-6. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.04.107. Epub 2015 May 4.

Authors

Jianguo Li¹, Hongjie Zhang², Chao Duan¹, Yishan Liu³, Yonghao Ni⁴

Affiliations

¹ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China; Limerick Pulp and Paper Centre, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada.
² Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
³ Limerick Pulp and Paper Centre, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada; Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong, Sichuan Province 643000, China.
⁴ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China; Limerick Pulp and Paper Centre, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada. Electronic address: yonghao@unb.ca.

PMID: 26004557
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.04.107

Abstract

Hemicelluloses removal is highly desirable in many biomass processes, including the pretreatment steps of the bioconversion for ethanol production, production of high-quality dissolving pulps. In this study, a sequential treatment consisting of pulp fractionation, followed by caustic treatment to remove hemicelluloses from a softwood sulfite pulp, was investigated. The long-fiber fraction obtained after pulp fractionation, had a lower hemicelluloses content and smaller specific surface area, but larger pore diameter than the short-fiber fraction. The fiber fractions were subsequently treated in a cold caustic extraction (CCE) or hot caustic extraction (HCE). Results showed that hemicelluloses removal in the long-fiber fraction was more pronounced than the short-fiber fraction in both CCE and HCE processes. Other parameters, such as hemicelluloses removal selectivity, yield were studied. The underlying explanations were given.

Keywords: Caustic extraction; Dissolving pulp; Fiber fractionation; Fiber morphology; Hemicelluloses removal.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomass
Chemical Fractionation / methods
Ethanol / chemistry
Polysaccharides / chemistry*
Sulfites / chemistry*
Wood / chemistry*

Substances

Polysaccharides
Sulfites
Ethanol
hemicellulose