Enzymatic Fibre Modification During Production of Dissolving Wood Pulp for Regenerated Cellulosic Materials

The production of regenerated cellulosic fibres, such as viscose, modal and lyocell, is based mainly on the use of dissolving wood pulp as raw material. Enzymatic processes are an excellent alternative to conventional chemical routes in the production of dissolving pulp, in terms of energy efficiency, reagent consumption and pulp yield. The two main characteristics of a dissolving pulp are the cellulose purity and the molecular weight, both of which can be controlled with the aid of enzymes. A purification process for paper-grade kraft pulp has been proposed, based on the use of xylanases in combination with hot and cold caustic extraction, without the conventional pre-hydrolysis step before kraft pulping. This enzyme aided purification allowed the production of a dissolving pulp that met the specifications for the manufacture of viscose, < 3% xylan, > 92% ISO brightness and 70% Fock’s reactivity. Endoglucanases (EGs) can efficiently reduce the average molecular weight of the cellulose while simultaneously increasing the pulp reactivity for viscose production. It is shown in this study that lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases act synergistically with EGs in the modification of bleached dissolving pulp.

Hardwood kraft pulp fibre oxidation using acidic hydrogen peroxide

Gaining insight into the oxidation of hardwood kraft fibres using hydrogen peroxide at mildly acidic conditions was the main aim of this study. The oxidized hardwood pulp had an increased number of carbonyl groups and, when formed into sheets, an enhanced durability in water was seen due to the formation of cross-links, known as hemiacetals. The carbonyl groups formed were found to be mainly ketones with the exception of the case with longer reaction times (60–90 minutes) at 85 °C, where aldehydes were detected. Through compositional analysis it was found that mainly xylan was oxidized, likely due to the higher amount of xylan close to the surface of the fibre wall. The influence of xylan on the oxidation process was investigated using cold caustic extraction (CCE) performed prior to oxidation. When the CCE pulp was oxidized, there was an increased rate of introduced carbonyl groups and degradation was more pronounced. This is likely due to the accessible surface area being increased, caused by the formation of pores when the lower molecular weight xylan was being extracted during CCE.

Study of xylan and cellulose interactions monitored with solid-state NMR and QCM-D

Development of physical properties of bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp is typically based on the refining process. However, many studies have reported that xylan deposition is a viable alternative. As the mechanisms of xylan and cellulose interactions are not clear, the main goal of this study was to achieve a better understanding of these interactions. Considering that a sample of pulp enriched with xylan is a very complex matrix, a model system was developed. Cellulosic thin films were prepared by spincoating and the Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) method from trimethylsilylcellulose (TMSC). Their interactions with xylan were analyzed using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring technique. The topological changes on cellulose were studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). For the 13C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies, samples were prepared using commercial microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and xylan. The xylan was extracted from bleached birch kraft pulp using a cold caustic extraction (CCE) method. The QCM-D monitoring showed deposition only with higher concentrations of xylan solution (1 mg · l−1) for the LS method. The AFM images showed that xylan deposits as agglomerates on the cellulose surface, and the NMR experiments showed that there are interactions for the more ordered region of the cellulose fiber and for the less-ordered region.

Deposition of xylan isolated from Pennisetum purpureum on fibres of Eucalyptus globulus and characterisation of the composition of the surface xylans by immunolabelling and enzymatic peeling

Adsorption of xylan on pulp is a potential method to improve its properties, especially refinability for high quality printing and writing (P&W) paper grades. In this study, elephant grass [Pennisetum purpureum(Schumach.)] xylan was used for this purpose. The xylan was extracted using cold caustic extraction (CCE) fromP. purpureumbrown pulp, produced by the Soda-AQ process (kappa 20). Xylan resorption was accomplished during the oxygen delignification phase of eucalypt [Eucalyptus globulus(Labill.)] pulp to avoid problems induced by the colour of the lignin-contaminated deposited xylan. Immunolabelling and enzymatic peeling methodologies were compared for the analysis of the spatial distribution of xylan in the fibre wall. The labelling appeared unevenly as faint and brighter patches on fibre surfaces. Increased labelling of xylan was detected on the samples with precipitatedP. purpureumxylan. The enzymatic peeling method using a total hydrolysis enzyme mixture yielded a composition gradient as a function of time, showing clear xylose (Xyl) enrichment in the very beginning of the reaction, reflecting hydrolysis of fibre surfaces. Pure xylanase and endoglucanase hydrolyses yielded different product patterns and kinetics compared to total hydrolysis, but interpretation of those results in terms of xylan localisation was not straightforward.

Addition of corn fiber xylan to eucalyptus and pinus pulp and its effect on pulp bleachability and strength

Corn fibers are a significant residue of agriculture due to the huge amounts, which has fueled interest in a more rational use of its components, particularly regarding hemicelluloses. The impact of hemicellulose redeposition on printer and writing (P&W) paper grade pulp properties are discussed in this paper. Xylans extracted from corn fibers (16.9 % xylans) by cold caustic extraction (CCE) were added to commercial brown pulps (eucalypt and pine) in the oxygen delignification (O-stage) and further bleached to 90 % ISO brightness. Hemicelluloses deposition occurred at variable degree (up to 7 % on pulp weight). Pulp bleachability was not impaired by xylan deposition for eucalypt and pine pulps. Xylan deposition onto fibers was more efficient in eucalypt pulp than pine. Pulp beatability and strength properties were improved by xylan deposition for P&W paper grades.