Wood pulp fibres are promising reinforcements for biocomposites due to their renewable resource origin and mechanical properties. An oriented and dense fibre reinforcement structure is beneficial for biocomposite properties. We present a method of modifying fibres (e.g. to increase strain to failure) in pre-formed oriented high-density paper structures intended for biocomposites or as hot-pressed fibre materials. Mildly delignified, well-preserved holocellulose fibres from softwood are used. Cold alkali treatment (hemicellulose removal) and mercerisation (conversion to cellulose II) were carried out successfully on oriented fibre sheets. Controlled anisotropy and sheet density are achieved from untreated and straight fibres in the sheet formation step. High mechanical properties and increased ductility of mercerised sheets were observed, which may be valuable for hot-pressed fibre materials (E ≈ 7.1 GPa, strength of 108 MPa and strain to failure of 5.3%) and biocomposites. In contrast, modified wood pulp fibres were difficult to orient, resulting in higher sheet porosity and weak interfibre bonding. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2022, The Author(s).

Holocellulose fibers produced by mild delignification form strong fiber networks, without beating or dry-strength agents. Recently, sequential batch delignification using peracetic acid (PAA) on finely cut wood sticks resulted in high-quality holocellulose fibers. Here, single step PAA delignification is developed for wood chips, which is simpler and can be used for larger fiber batches (400 g) with similar, high yield (60%). Such fibers have 1.4% lignin, 25% hemicelluloses content and well-preserved cellulose and hemicellulose molar mass. The corresponding paper sheet materials with a porosity of ~ 50%, have a Young’s modulus of 9 GPa and a strength of 90 MPa. Holocellulose fibers can now be readily investigated for use in larger scale paper, molded fiber and polymer biocomposite materials applications, or for cellulose nanofibril preparation. © 2021, The Author

Paper grade pulp production across the globe is dominated by the kraft process using different lig-nocellulosic raw materials. Delignification is achieved around 90% using different chemical treatments. A bottleneck for complete delignification is the presence of residual covalent bonds that prevail between lignin and carbohydrate even after severe chemical pulping and oxygen delignification steps. Different covalent bonds are present in native wood that sustain drastic pulping conditions. In this study, 100% birch wood was used for producing paper grade pulp, and the lignin carbohydrate bonds were analyzed at different stages of the kraft cook. The lignin carbohydrate bonds that were responsible for residual lignin retention in unbleached pulp were compared and analyzed with the original lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) bonds in native birch wood. It was shown that lignin remaining after pulping and oxygen delignification was mainly bound to xylan, whereas the lignin bound to glucomannan was for the most part degraded. Application: One central problem for the pulp and paper industry is efficiency in delignification during the chemical pulping and bleaching processes. It has been believed that one limiting factor is the covalent bonds between lignin and polysaccharides. We present data on presence of such LCC bonds in paper grade birch pulp and its development during the processes. Hopefully, this research data will be useful for the development of more effi-cient processes. 

The presence of covalent bonds between lignin and polysaccharides was investigated in dissolving pulps made with one-stage and two-stage acidic sulfite pulping for 100% pine heartwood raw material. The covalent bonds between lignin and pulp polysaccharides occurred mainly to xylan and glucomannan and were of the phenyl glycosides and γ–esters types. The α-ethers that are common in wood were missing in the studied pulp samples. Based on these findings and known lignin reactions during sulfite pulping, a mechanism explaining the absence of the α-ethers is discussed. It is suggested that the lignin carbohydrate bonds may play a vital role in lignin recalcitrance. 

In this laboratory study, the initial phase of a single-stage sodium bisulfite cook was observed and analyzed. The experiments were carried out using either a lab- or a mill-prepared cooking acid, and the cooking temperature used in these experiments was 154 °C. Investigated parameters were the chemical consumption, the pH profile, and the pulp yield with respect to cellulose, lignin, glucomannan, xylan, and finally extractives. Cooking was extended down to approximately 60% pulp yield and the pulp composition during the cook, with respect to carbohydrates and lignin, was summarized in a kinetic model. The mill-prepared cooking acid had a higher COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and TOC (Total Organic Carbon) content than the lab-prepared cooking acid and this influenced the pH and the formation of thiosulfate during the cook. It was found that the presence of dissolved carbohydrates and lignin in the bisulfite cooking liquor affected the extractives removal and the thiosulfate formation.

The present study introduces kinetic modeling of liquid phase α-pinene acetoxylation with acetic acid over an ion-exchange resin catalyst. The reaction was carried out in a laboratory scale high-pressure autoclave. α-terpinyl (35 wt%) and bornyl (40 wt%) acetates were the primary products. The predominant reaction pathways were identified and evaluated. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012.

Heterogeneously-catalyzed and solvent-catalyzed liquid phase acetoxylation of α-pinene with acetic acid acting as both a solvent and a reagent was studied. Both solvent-catalyzed and catalytic experiments were carried out and various reaction conditions were studied. The influence of temperature, pressure, solvent and gas milieu were taken into account. Bornyl, fenchyl, verbenyl as well as α-terpinyl acetates, limonene, camphene and γ-terpinene were found among reaction products. The addition of the catalyst allowed for maximization of the yield of bornyl acetate. The predominant products obtained were α-terpinyl, verbenyl and bornyl acetates. The reaction pathways were identified and evaluated. The aim of this work was to study the feasibility of batch acetoxylation of α-pinene. The analysis of the complex product distribution is not trivial and, consequently, resolving the reaction network was important. The optimized reaction conditions were searched for aiming at an efficient conversion of α-pinene to a mixture of valuable products.