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Combining steam explosion with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazlium acetate treatment of wood yields lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals of high aspect ratio

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Abstract

Lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were extracted from the tropical wood Angelim Vermelho in a yield of 47 % based on wood cellulose content. The procedure combined a mild steam explosion process with a treatment using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][OAc]). The resulting CNCs showed exceptional aspect ratios of 83 ± 18 for wood-based CNCs and crystallinity index of 76 %. Residual lignin coating and cellulose acetylation were detected during the procedure and are proposed to minimize the known crystallite thickening. As a result, CNCs in dimensions close to their native state in wood were recovered. Furthermore, this novel extraction of CNCs directly from wood circumvents the tedious purification process necessary for CNC extraction from pulp.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), German Society of International Collaboration (GIZ) and Brazilian Department of higher Education (CAPES program) through the Novas Parcerias (NoPa) program for Brazilian-German academic exchanges. The authors thank Elke Stibal for the technical support, Adrian Vogt and Sebastian Schutt for the XRD support, Marina Hagios for GPC measurements, and Dr. Leif Nutto and ORSA Company for the Angelim Vermelho sample.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Forest Biomaterials, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Werthmannstr. 6, 79085, Freiburg, Germany

    Hatem Abushammala, Ruben Goldsztayn & Marie-Pierre Laborie

  2. Freiburg Materials Research Center, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 21, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Hatem Abushammala, Ruben Goldsztayn & Marie-Pierre Laborie

  3. Department of Natural Resources, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Sao Paolo, 18610-307, Brazil

    Alcides Leao

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  1. Hatem Abushammala
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  2. Ruben Goldsztayn
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  4. Marie-Pierre Laborie
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Correspondence to Marie-Pierre Laborie.

Appendix

Appendix

See Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

Fig. 5
figure 5

The X-ray diffraction pattern of Angelim Vermelho upon steam explosion (2.5 bar, 2 h) at varying NaOH concentration compared to the untreated one

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Fig. 6
figure 6

DSC of the cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). A glass transition temperature at 107 °C was detected due to acetylation

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Fig. 7
figure 7

The contact angle of the cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) compared to the original cellulose (CELL-0)

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Abushammala, H., Goldsztayn, R., Leao, A. et al. Combining steam explosion with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazlium acetate treatment of wood yields lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals of high aspect ratio. Cellulose 23, 1813–1823 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-016-0911-4

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