In this study, polystyrene modified Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood was investigated upon artificial weathering, decay resistance, dimensional stability and water uptake properties. Polystyrene modification was carried out on pretreated wood by immersion of wood into styrene monomer and further polymerization. The resistance of modified wood against cycles of UV and water exposures was examined

Abstract The present study concerns a practical approach to survey water sorption properties of ionic liquid ([EMIM]OAc) treated papers with and without chemical crosslinking. Ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]OAc) can be used to transform sulfate pulp paper to regenerated cellulose film-like material. The fusion process increases both the dry and wet strength of the paper

Eucalyptus nitens wood samples were treated with hot, compressed water (autohydrolysis) to solubilize the hemicellulosic fraction, and the resulting solid (autohydrolyzed wood) was delignified in media containing water and an acidic ionic liquid (either 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate or triethylammonium hydrogen sulfate). The solid yields and the compositional changes caused by delignification

In the after-fire restoration of the buildings belonging to the culture heritage, the use of salvaged scorched wood elements is desirable but often leading to the long-term malodorous, irritating, or unhealthy emissions. To reduce them while preserving the authenticity as much as possible, the micro-abrasive cleaning method was tested on samples from a burned-down historical wooden building. Volatile

Changes in the lignin structure of eight eucalypt species (E. botryoides, E. globulus, E. grandis, E. maculata, E. propinqua, E. rudis, E. saligna, and E. viminalis) upon mild thermal treatment, where the temperature was gradually raised from 160 to 230 °C over 3 h, were studied by solid-state carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) and after lignin isolation from the wood by acidolysis employing

In the first part of the present work, relevant findings concerning the laccase (Lacc) activation of alkyl gallates, and its implementation in developing hydrophobic properties on cellulose-based substrates are reported. Surface state energy by water contact angle (CA), absorption tests, and Cobb60 measurements were used to assess the hydrophobic behavior of treated substrates. SEM images of paper

Lipophilic extractives in the dichloromethane extract from Eucalyptus pellita wood and bark were identified by GC-MS. Of the various morphological parts, the bark samples contain more extractives than wood samples. The largest extractive content was measured in the bark of the top part. Four groups (i.e., free fatty acids, sterols-steroids, triterpenoids, and other compounds) were detected in all parts

Succinic acid has been characterized as a commodity chemical and attractive compound as it has wide applications as a key building block for various high value-added chemicals. In this study, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process conditions for the production of succinic acid from oil palm empty fruit bunches by Actinobacillus succinogenes (A. succinogenes) were statistically

Low-molecular-weight 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) was used to modify bamboo strips catalyzed by maleic anhydride. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the treatment conditions for DMDHEU modification of bamboo. Three selected parameters, DMDHEU concentration, curing temperature, and curing time, were further optimized using response surface

Production of particleboards is associated with volatile organic compounds emissions, many of which have odorous properties. The objective is to determine whether the odor emissions from the production, using spruce and aspen as raw material, comply with the local odor limit defined in a specific way—an hourly average odor concentration leading to 16% odor annoyance and not being exceeded more than

Galactomannans are a widely used polysaccharide. In this study, galactomannans were oxidized using galactose oxidase, aided by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and catalase. Then, a small amount of hydrogen peroxide was used to oxidize the reaction products in order to prepare the paper strengthening agents. The optimal oxidation conditions were investigated according to the properties of the paper, which

CF4 plasma treatment of a Teflon-like (1,1,1,2 tetrafluoroethane, TFE) chemical spray deposited on paper resulted in an increased level of elemental fluorine on the paper surface. However, TFE molecules undergo bond cleavage and ionization in the presence of the RF-CF4 plasma environment. The abundant fluorine radicals grafted onto the paper surface, via the substitution and opening of the bonds in

Biphenyl linkage is the second most abundant linkage in softwood lignin; the β-O-4′ linkage being the most abundant linkage. That about 20–28% of monolignols are linked by biphenyl linkage has been demonstrated by UV spectroscopy, permanganate oxidation, 13C NMR, and thioacidolysis followed by 31P NMR. Most, if not all, of the biphenyl structures in softwood lignin are etherified, indicating that biphenyl

Metal salts application on wood surface is a simple and nontoxic method that can be used for wood color modification, which is induced by the formation of colored complexes between wood extractives and metal ions. In this study, we have combined several analytical methods to understand the color development for four North American hardwood species: white oak, red oak, sugar maple and yellow birch.

Indoor pollutants, such as formaldehyde, pose an increasing threat to human health. Here, regenerated cellulose was combined with a novel visible light-responsive photocatalyst, La0.3Sr0.7TiO3, to prepare a cellulose-based filler that was used to prepare a visible light-responsive photocatalytic paper. The effects of the molecular formula of the photocatalyst, the amount of photocatalyst in the filler

Lignin biochar-catalytic depolymerization using biochar Fe-600, Fe-800, Ni-600, Ni-800 catalysts under microwave-heating (180 °C for 30 min) was explored in an ethanol/formic acid (1:1) media. Non-catalyst depolymerization was also studied and compared with the biochar-catalysts results. Characteristics of the bio-char catalysts were analyze by BET, XRD, and FT-IR. GPC, FT-IR, and MALDI-TOF MS spectrometry

The forestry industry in the Basque Country has experienced an abandonment of small-sized forests in which native and introduced species tend to regrow if unattended; thus, requiring an intervention under which proper forest management is implemented. This paper evaluates the potential fractionation of lignin and cellulose from six tree species coming from such mixed forests as a value-added use of

Along with cellulose, lignin is one of the most common polymers of plant origin. Numerous studies show that the complex and irregular structure of lignin is still unknown. First of all, the existing problems are connected with the peculiarities of lignins as a natural chemical compound. In this paper the general regularities of the chemical structure of dioxane lignins isolated from the softwood –

Polyelectrolyte complexes composed of lignosulfonate and cationic polyelectrolytes were used as bio-based adhesives. Sodium lignosulfonate (L-SO3Na), a wood-derived anionic polyelectrolyte, was combined with three different cationic polyelectrolytes and the adhesive strength of the resulting complexes was evaluated on various substrates. Higher adhesive strength was observed with polar substrates (stainless

Processive endoglucanase EG1 and its core domain, EG1(CD), were used to pretreat the commercial dissolving pulp to improve cellulose reactivity. The Fock reactivity of the pulp which was treated with EG1 and EG1 (CD) at 50 U/g enzyme loading increased from 74.3% of the control to 90.6% and 88.4%, respectively. Refining also improved the Fock reactivity of the pulp, but not as effective as EG1 or EG1(CD)

Enhancing cellulase recyclability is a promising approach to reducing the high enzyme cost for activation of dissolving pulp. For this purpose, Tween 80, an amphiphilic surfactant, was employed to facilitate cellulase recovery from fibers. Results indicated that the Cellulase–Tween complex was formed (with a particle size increase of 140%) through a hydrophobic interaction. A much lower maximum binding