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The influence of lignin on the self-assembly behaviour of xylan rich fractions from birch (Betula pendula)

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Abstract

A crude xylan isolate obtained by prehydrolysis and mild alkaline extraction from birch wood chips (Betula pendula), and a carefully delignified xylan fraction from the same source, were examined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) with regard to their propensity to self-assemble in water into insoluble aggregates. The delignification involved the extraction with chloroform of a crude xylan solution in a pyridine/acetic acid/water mixture. It resulted in a purified xylan fraction in a yield of 23% in which 75 and 90% of the lignin had been removed as indicated by Klason and UV-determination, respectively. It was found that both xylan fractions formed agglomerates by self-assembly in water. However, DLS and cryo-TEM indicated that the aggregates were larger in size (90 vs. 40 nm) and greater in mass when more lignin was present. The addition of an alkaline solution of isolated lignin (obtained by steam explosion) to increasing concentrations of a delignified xylan revealed increasing turbidity. Our conclusion is that lignin induces agglomeration of xylan in aqueous solutions, but xylan concentration plays an active role in the aggregation phenomena. An agglomeration mechanism for lignin rich xylan fractions is proposed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Johannes P. Roubroeks, R&D Södra, Värö, for valuable discussions and critical reading of the manuscript during this study. Thanks also to Gunnel Karlsson, Biomicroscopy Unit, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, for her efforts with the cryo TEM experiments, Dr Johan Bergenholtz, Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Gothenburg University, for his help with dynamic light scattering. Finally the authors wish to extend thanks to Södra Cell for their financial support.

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  1. Biopolymer Technology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, 412 96, Sweden

    Peter Westbye, Tobias Köhnke & Paul Gatenholm

  2. Department of Wood Science and Forest Products, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Wolfgang Glasser

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  1. Peter Westbye
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  2. Tobias Köhnke
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Correspondence to Paul Gatenholm.

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Westbye, P., Köhnke, T., Glasser, W. et al. The influence of lignin on the self-assembly behaviour of xylan rich fractions from birch (Betula pendula). Cellulose 14, 603–613 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-007-9178-0

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