From pine sawdust to cellulose nanofibers.

EHMAN, N.; TARRÉS, Q.; VALLEJOS, M.E.; FELISSIA, F.E.; AREA M. C.; MUTJE, P.

Cordoba

Workshop; 1st International Workshop on Biorefinery of Lignocellulosic Materials (IWBLCM); 2015

Biorefinerytechnology is an actual alternative to petroleum based industry to produce energy,chemicals and materials. The conversion of forest and agriculturallignocellulosic residues to high value added products has become importantbecause of their renewable nature and high availability as raw materials. Thepine sawdust is a promissory candidate as raw material in a biorefinery. Thiswaste from the primary industrialization of wood is available in largequantities and low cost, and is currently open-air burned. The aim of thisstudy was to obtain nanofibrillated cellulose (CNF) from pine sawdust. Oxidativemethods for the purification of the raw material were used. CNF was produced bythe combination of chemical (TEMPO-oxidation) and mechanical (homogenizer)treatments. The effect of TEMPO-oxidation on degree of polymerization, cationicdemand, carboxyl rate and nanofibrillation yield were studied, as well as thespecific surface and the diameter of the cellulose nanofibers were estimated.