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ABSTRACT
One way to better valorie vegetal biomass entering a cellulose production mill, is to extract hemicelluloses from wood prior to the cellulose extraction process. The study presented here compares hemicelluloses extraction by an autohydrolysis and by a sulfuric acid catalysed hydrolysis, from two wood species (mixed softwood chips and eucalyptus globulus). Several ways of valorisation of the extracted hemicelluloses are possible: fermentation of the sugars in alcohol, production of non ionic surface active agents, production of prebiotics.
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Christine CHIRAT: Professor - Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LGP2, Grenoble, France
INTRODUCTION
Today, the paper industry represents the most important chemical transformation of wood. Worldwide, the paper industry generates some 135 million tonnes of cellulose fibers annually, with purities ranging from 80% to 97%, using so-called chemical processes. These pulps are mainly produced from wood. Most cellulose fibers are obtained using the kraft process, an alkaline treatment applied to wood chips at high temperature (160°C on average). As the amount of cellulose in wood is only around 40%, even greater quantities of by-products are obtained. Today, these by-products are concentrated and burned, enabling the plants to be self-sufficient or even surplus in energy.
As hemicelluloses are degraded during the kraft process, one way of adding value to them would be to extract them upstream of the kraft process, using an autohydrolysis or acid hydrolysis process. The sugars obtained can be used to produce a multitude of products and materials, such as alcohols by fermentation, green surfactants (for the production of soaps, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics) and bioplastics.
The aims of this article are to compare the extraction of hemicelluloses from hardwood and softwood by autohydrolysis, to study the effect of autohydrolysis process parameters on the quantities of sugars extracted, and to give two examples of valorization of the hemicelluloses thus extracted: one for alcohol production and the second for surfactant production. The characterization and valorization of extracted oligosaccharides are discussed in a final section.
Area: Integrated biorefineries for cellulose production
Degree of technology diffusion: Emergence
Technologies involved: Hydrolysis and solubilization of hemicelluloses; depolymerization of hemicelluloses
Applications: Use of sugars from non-food resources
Main French players :
Competitive clusters: Axelera, IAR, Xylofutur
Competence centers: research laboratories in the fields of wood chemistry, biorefinery and glycosciences
Industrial: paper and chemical manufacturers
Other players worldwide: same types as described above
Contact: [email protected]
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KEYWORDS
wood | surfactants | hemicelluloses | autohydrolysis
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Functional materials - Bio-based materials
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Lignocellulosic biorefineries: extraction and recovery of hemicelluloses
Context
Bibliography
Events
EWLP: European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and Pulp: international conference held every two years in Europe.
ISWFPC: International ymposium on Wood, Fiber and Pulp Chemistry: international congress held every two years, alternating with EWLP, in Europe, Asia or America.
NWBC: Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference: held every 18 months, alternating between Finland and Sweden....
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