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Liu SH, Rukmani SJ, Mohan M, Yu Y, Vural D, Johnson DA, Copenhaver K, Bhagia S, Lamm ME, Li K, Chen J, Goswami M, Smith MD, Petridis L, Ozcan S, Smith JC. Molecular-level design of alternative media for energy-saving pilot-scale fibrillation of nanocellulose. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2405107121. [PMID: 39236244 PMCID: PMC11406261 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405107121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The outstanding mechanical properties, light weight, and biodegradability of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) make them promising components of renewable and sustainable next-generation reinforced composite biomaterials and bioplastics. Manufacturing CNFs at a pilot scale requires disc-refining fibrillation of dilute cellulose fibers in aqueous pulp suspensions to shear the fibers apart into their nanodimensional forms, which is, however, an energy-intensive process. Here, we used atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to examine media that might facilitate the reduction of interactions between cellulose fibers, thereby reducing energy consumption in fibrillation. The most suitable medium found by the simulations was an aqueous solution with 0.007:0.012 wt.% NaOH:urea, and indeed this was found in pilot-scale experiments to reduce the fibrillation energy by ~21% on average relative to water alone. The NaOH:urea-mediated CNFs have similar crystallinity, morphology, and mechanical strength to those formed in water. The NaOH and urea act synergistically on CNFs to aid fibrillation but at different length scales. NaOH deprotonates hydroxyl groups leading to mesoscale electrostatic repulsion between fibrils, whereas urea forms hydrogen bonds with protonated hydroxyl groups thus disrupting interfibril hydrogen bonds. This suggests a general mechanism in which an aqueous medium that contains a strong base and a small organic molecule acting as a hydrogen-bond acceptor and/or donor may be effectively employed in materials processes where dispersion of deprotonable polymers is required. The study demonstrates how atomic-detail computer simulation can be integrated with pilot-scale experiments in the rational design of materials processes for the circular bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Hsien Liu
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
| | - Shalini J Rukmani
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
| | - Mood Mohan
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Yan Yu
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Derya Vural
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
- Department of Physics, Marmara University, Istanbul 34722, Türkiye
| | - Donna A Johnson
- Process Development Center, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469
| | - Katie Copenhaver
- Manufacturing Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Samarthya Bhagia
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Meghan E Lamm
- Manufacturing Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Kai Li
- Buildings and Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Jihua Chen
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Monojoy Goswami
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Micholas Dean Smith
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
| | - Loukas Petridis
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
| | - Soydan Ozcan
- Manufacturing Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
| | - Jeremy C Smith
- University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
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Yapar Ö, Piltonen P, Hadela A, Lobnik A. Sustainable All-Cellulose Biocomposites from Renewable Biomass Resources Fabricated in a Water-Based Processing System by the Vacuum-Filtration-Assisted Impregnation Method. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1921. [PMID: 39000776 PMCID: PMC11243798 DOI: 10.3390/polym16131921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The increasing awareness of global ecological concerns and the rising sustainability consciousness associated with the manufacturing of non-renewable and non-biodegradable composite materials have led to extensive research on product and process developments of more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and fully biodegradable biocomposites for higher-value end-use applications. All-cellulose composites (ACCs) are an emerging class of biocomposites, which are produced utilizing solely cellulose as a raw material that is derived from various renewable biomass resources, such as trees and plants, and are assessed as fully biodegradable. In this study, sustainable ACCs were fabricated for the first time based on the full dissolution of commercially available sulfite dissolving (D) pulps as a matrix with concentrations of 1.5 wt.% and 2.0 wt.% in an aqueous NaOH-urea solvent, and they were then impregnated on/into the pre-fabricated birch (B), abaca (A), and northern softwood (N) fiber sheets as reinforcements by the vacuum-filtration-assisted impregnation approach. This research aimed to investigate the effects of the impregnated cellulose matrix concentrations and types of the utilized cellulose fiber reinforcements (B, A, N) on the morphological, crystalline, structural, and physio-mechanical properties of the ACCs. The highest degrees of improvements were achieved for tensile strength (+532%, i.e., from 9.24 MPa to 58.04 MPa) and strain at break of the B fiber-reinforced ACC B1.5 (+446%, i.e., from 1.36% to 4.62%) fabricated with vacuum impregnation of the 1.5 wt.% cellulose matrix. Noticeably, the greatest improvements were attained in strain at break of the A and N fiber-reinforced ACCs A2.0 (+218%, i.e., from 4.44 % to 14.11%) and N2.0 (+466%, i.e., 2.59% to 14.65%), respectively, produced with vacuum impregnation of the 2.0 wt.% cellulose matrix. The study highlights the diverse properties of the all-cellulose biocomposite materials that could, expectedly, lead to further development and research for upscaled production of the ACCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özkan Yapar
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova Ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Sensors (IOS) Ltd., Beloruska Ulica 7, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Petteri Piltonen
- Fibre and Particle Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Ajra Hadela
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Sensors (IOS) Ltd., Beloruska Ulica 7, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Aleksandra Lobnik
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova Ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Sensors (IOS) Ltd., Beloruska Ulica 7, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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Wang B, Zhang X, Li J, Xu J, Zeng J, Li M, Li X, Li Y. Efficient preparation of high-purity cellulose from moso bamboo by p-toluenesulfonic acid pretreatment. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125395. [PMID: 37330075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This work proposed a promising biorefinery method for the deconstruction of moso bamboo by using p-toluenesulfonic acid (P-TsOH) pretreatment to product high-purity cellulose (dissolving pulp). The cellulose pulp with high α-cellulose content (82.36 %) was successfully prepared for 60 min at low pretreatment temperature (90 °C) and atmospheric pressure. After the simple bleaching and cold caustic extraction (CCE) processes, the properties of cellulose pulp, such as α-cellulose content, polymerization, ISO brightness, all met the standard of dissolving pulp. In general, the cooking method through P-TsOH pretreatment can shorten the preparation time, which can effectively reduce energy consumption and chemical consumption. Therefore, this work may provide a new perspective for the green preparation of dissolving pulp that can be used to produce lyocell fiber after ash and metal ion treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- Plant Fiber Material Science Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Plant Fiber Material Science Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jinpeng Li
- Plant Fiber Material Science Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Jun Xu
- Plant Fiber Material Science Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jinsong Zeng
- Plant Fiber Material Science Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ming Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Bamboo Advanced Materials and Conversion of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Xingxing Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Bamboo Advanced Materials and Conversion of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Yibao Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Bamboo Advanced Materials and Conversion of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
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Granatier M, Lê HQ, Ma Y, Rissanen M, Schlapp-Hackl I, Diment D, Zaykovskaya A, Pokki JP, Balakshin M, Louhi-Kultanen M, Alopaeus V, Sixta H. Gamma-valerolactone biorefinery: Catalyzed birch fractionation and valorization of pulping streams with solvent recovery. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17423. [PMID: 37408933 PMCID: PMC10319238 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we propose a full gamma-valerolactone (GVL) organosolv biorefinery concept including the utilization of all pulping streams, solvent recovery, and preliminary material and energy balances. GVL is a renewable and non-toxic solvent that fractionates woody biomass. The silver birch chips were pulped (45-65 wt% GVL, 150 °C, 2 h) under a series of acid-catalyzed conditions (5-12 kg H2SO4/t), and the fully bleached pulp was spun into fibers by the IONCELL® process and knitted into the fabric. The dissolved lignin was precipitated by water from spent liquor (1:1) and processed into polyhydroxyurethane. Most of the dissolved hemicelluloses were in the form of xylose, therefore, the crystallization efficiency of xylose from spent liquor in the presence of residual GVL was studied. The GVL recovery rate in the lab column was 66%, however by increasing the number of equilibrium stages, 99% recovery could be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Granatier
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Huy Quang Lê
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Yibo Ma
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Marja Rissanen
- Department of Materials Science, University of Tampere, Kuntokatu 3, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Inge Schlapp-Hackl
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Daryna Diment
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Anna Zaykovskaya
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Juha-Pekka Pokki
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Mikhail Balakshin
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Marjatta Louhi-Kultanen
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Ville Alopaeus
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Herbert Sixta
- School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150, Espoo, Finland
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Chen J, Si X, Wang Y, Ren Z, Liu Q, Lu F. Efficient Fractionation and Catalytic Valorization of Raw Biomass in ϵ-Caprolactone and Water. CHEMSUSCHEM 2023; 16:e202202162. [PMID: 36610014 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202202162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Efficient fractionation and utilization of the whole biomass is particularly attractive but remains a great challenge, owing to the recalcitrance of biomass. In this study, a simple and efficient approach is developed to obtain high-purity cellulose with a delignification degree of 97.5 % in ϵ-caprolactone and water. FTIR spectroscopy reveals that ϵ-caprolactone and water act in synergy to remove lignin from raw biomass and afford cellulose with clear macrofibrils. A linear positive correlation between the contents of hemicellulose and lignin is observed for the separated cellulose pulp. This mixed solvent exhibits good performance for the removal of lignin from various agricultural and forestry wastes. Moreover, nearly complete transformation of the whole biomass constituents is achieved with Ni-Al catalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Chen
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoqin Si
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Yubao Wang
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Zhiwen Ren
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Qian Liu
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Fang Lu
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
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Duan C, Tian C, Tian G, Wang X, Shen M, Yang S, Ni Y. Simultaneous microwave-assisted phosphotungstic acid catalysis for rapid improvements on the accessibility and reactivity of Kraft-based dissolving pulp. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 227:214-221. [PMID: 36549608 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Improving the cellulose accessibility and reactivity in an efficient and convenient way has become the focused issue in the field of dissolving pulp manufacturing. We herein demonstrate a simple yet efficient strategy, namely a simultaneous microwave (MW)-assisted phosphotungstic acid (PTA) catalysis (MW-PTAsim). The MW-PTAsim treatment was efficient to improve Fock reactivity from 49.1 % to 85.8 % and decrease viscosity from 561 to 360 mL/g within 10 min, which was superior to the single MW treatment and the sequential MW-PTAseq treatment. Besides, the MW-PTAsim treated fiber had rougher and more fibrillated surfaces with an enhanced fiber accessibility, showing increased specific surface area (SSA) from 1.43 to 6.31 m2/g, mean pore diameter (MPD) from 6.92 to 11.20 nm and water retention value (WRV) from 101 % to 172 %. These positive enhancements are mainly due to a synergy that MW-enhanced rotation of PTA mediums was served as "spinning cutters" to attack the fibers, plus MW-accelerated PTA transfer and catalytic hydrolysis further improved the fiber accessibility. Moreover, PTA also demonstrates a high reusability and chemical stability. This process offers an effective and sustainable alternative for manufacturing a premium dissolving pulp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Duan
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China.
| | - Chaochao Tian
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Guodong Tian
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Xinqi Wang
- China Textile Academy, State Key Laboratory of Bio-based Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Beijing, 100025, China
| | - Mengxia Shen
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Yonghao Ni
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton E3B 5A3, New Brunswick, Canada
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Nypa fruticans Frond Waste for Pure Cellulose Utilizing Sulphur-Free and Totally Chlorine-Free Processes. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27175662. [PMID: 36080429 PMCID: PMC9458151 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The search for alternative methods for the production of new materials or fuel from renewable and sustainable biomass feedstocks has gained increasing attention. In this study, Nypa fruticans (nipa palm) fronds from agricultural residues were evaluated to produce pure cellulose by combining prehydrolysis for 1–3 h at 150 °C, sulfur-free soda cooking for 1–1.5 h at 160 °C with 13–25% active alkali (AA), 0.1% soluble anthraquinone (SAQ) catalyst, and three-stage totally chlorine-free (TCF) bleaching, namely oxygen, peroxymonosulfuric acid, and alkaline hydrogen peroxide stages. The optimal conditions were 3 h prehydrolysis and 1.5 h cooking with 20% AA. Soda cooking with SAQ was better than the kraft and soda process without SAQ. The method decreased the kappa number as a residual lignin content index of pulp from 13.4 to 9.9–10.2 and improved the yields by approximately 6%. The TCF bleaching application produced pure cellulose with a brightness of 92.2% ISO, 94.8% α-cellulose, viscosity of 7.9 cP, and 0.2% ash content. These findings show that nipa palm fronds can be used to produce pure cellulose, serving as a dissolving pulp grade for viscose rayon and cellulose derivatives.
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