Volume 15 Issue 3

Making pellets from corn cobs, the goal of this work, was motivated by the abundance of vegetable biomass. Corn is used in both animal and human food. Four pelletizing presses with flat die and different capacities were considered. The influence of the capacity of the pellet mills on the density of the obtained pellets was established by increasing the capacities of the pellet mills to increase the density of the pellets. The waste of crushed corn cobs was used for pelletizing. The energy characteristics of the pellets from corn cobs were determined, with a high calorific value of 20.0MJ·kg-1 and a calorific density of 19.8 MJ·m-3; these values were much higher than the wood species used currently in combustion. The black and calcined ash contents of 24.7% and 2.3%, respectively, were also obtained. Based on the main properties of experimental pellets, corn cob waste can be regarded as suitable for transformation into pellets with good characteristics. The positive influence of capacity press increase on density of pellets was also highlighted.

The color variance of dry coconut wood and its relationship with the wood density was explored. Coconut trunks with two different ages of 30 and 60 years old were selected for the experiment. Wood color was measured by the CIE L*a*b* or CIELAB color system on both the transverse (longitudinal-tangential plane) and cross (tangential-radial plane) sections. The results showed that all color parameters (L*, a*, b*) tended to decrease with increasing wood density for both sections in which the value on transverse section was slightly higher. At a given density, the color value of the older trunk was lower. All color parameters appeared to be related with density in a linear relationship with relatively low R2 for both ages. The best correlation was observed for the b*-density relationship on cross sectional samples for both trunk ages, showing R2 values of 0.53 to 0.60. This implies that it might be possible to use this color parameter as input for the grading of coconut wood’s density.

Timber-concrete composite beams are a new type of structural element that is environmentally friendly. The structural efficiency of this kind of beam highly depends on the stiffness of the interlayer connection. The structural efficiency of the composite was evaluated by experimental and theoretical investigations performed on the relative horizontal slip and vertical uplift along the interlayer between composite’s timber and concrete slab. Differential equations were established based on a theoretical analysis of combination effects of interlayer slip and vertical uplift, by using deformation theory of elastics. Subsequently, the differential equations were solved and the magnitude of uplift force at the interlayer was obtained. It was concluded that the theoretical calculations were in good agreement with the results of experimentation.

Coconut coir, a major type of tropical lignocellulosic waste, has been restricted from higher-value applications due to its chemical complexity and inherent variability. To better disclose the chemical relationships between polysaccharides and lignin in coir and further exploit its high value-added bio-based materials, two lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) designated as glucan-lignin (GL) and xylan-lignin (XL) were successively isolated from coir via a simplified and quantitative fractionation method. The characterization of chemical composition, molecular weight distribution, and constituent substructures of the isolated LCC fractions were examined, and the lignin-carbohydrate (LC) chemical linkages were revealed as γ-esters by a 2D heteronuclear singular quantum correlation (HSQC) NMR technique. Furthermore, XL was demonstrated as a more competitive candidate than GL for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) removal in comparison with 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT, a commercial antioxidant), and was also featured as a more promising reinforcing agent for elevating the adsorption property of polyacrylamide-based hydrogels via the synergistic effect of physical and hydrogen bonding adsorptions.

Orange trees in Brazil are often burned as a means of eradication when they become infected with Huanglongbing disease. Rather than destroying them, which is a low-value proposition, one potential option is to utilize the biomass through pyrolysis. In this preliminary work, orange trees (Citrus sinensis) otherwise selected for purging, were sampled and pyrolyzed at 500 °C, and the charcoal and bio-oil were evaluated for potential value-added use. The results showed that the pyrolysis process resulted in 26.3% charcoal, 57.6% bio-oil, and 16.0% non-condensable gases. Qualitative analysis of the bio-oil by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry found 178 chemical compounds; however, only 25% of those compounds could be reliably identified. Potential applications of the compounds identified in the bio-oil were determined by examining the published literature, and it was found that at least 73% of them showed promise. Finally, initial studies on the immediate analysis of the pyrolysis charcoal showed that it potentially meets the standards set forth for Brazilian domestic use.

Reed (Phragmites australis) is a cosmopolitan grass that is often the dominant species in the ecosystems it inhabits. It is widely used in furniture decoration as reed weaving products. However, the application of reed is limited due to its brittle nature and susceptibility to cracks. To increase the toughness of reed stalk, sodium chlorite (NaClO2) was used to remove the lignin from reed stalk, and then polyethylene glycol with different molecular weights (PEG 600, PEG 1000, PEG 2000, and PEG 4000) was used as a plasticizer. The micromorphology, crystal structure, and surface chemical composition of the modified reed stalk were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The bending strength and dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA) of the reed stalk were evaluated. The results showed that the delignified reed stalks plasticized with PEG 1000 or PEG 2000 showed better dimensional stability and toughness, and the smallest elastic modulus (133.268 MPa) was obtained when the samples were treated with PEG 2000. The results of thickness swelling showed that the dimensional stability increased after PEG modification. This research may provide the theoretical basis for the modification of reed stalk.

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are a class of copper-dependent enzymes that can act on crystalline polysaccharides directly, which plays a critical role in cellulose degradation. In addition to reports on its structure and mechanism of action, it is important to study the auxiliary activity 9 (AA9) characteristics from different resources to support the mechanism research. The gene encoded ToLPMO9A was cloned from Trichoderma orientalis EU7-22 and first heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. Both metal ions and reducing agent concentrations showed an important effect on ToLPMO9A. The ToLPMO9A exhibited maximal activity at 60 °C and a 6.0 pH. In addition, ToLPMO9A showed substrate specificity. The matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis showed that ToLPMO9A cleaved the glycosidic bonds at C1 and C4/C6 position via oxidation. Concerning the synergistic effects on enzymic activity, ToLPMO9A exhibited promotion with endo-glucanase or exo-glucanase, but inhibition with β-glucosidases. In conclusion, ToLPMO9A could be a good choice for enzyme cocktails and provide theoretical support for subsequent action mechanisms and broader applications.

Luffa fibers were evaluated as a reinforcement material in poly-hydroxy-butyrate matrix composites. The treatments consisted of varying the incorporation percentage of mercerized and non-mercerized luffa fibers in a poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) matrix (5%, 10%, and 20% w/v). Composites made with PHB and reinforced with luffa fibers (treated and non-treated) were mechanically evaluated (tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and percentage of elongation at break), the surface morphology was described by using scanning electronic microscopy, and the degradability behavior of composites was obtained. According to the results, mechanical properties decreased when the percentage of fibers increased and no significant effects were observed when compared with mercerized fiber composites. Degradability tests demonstrated that the weight loss increased with increased fiber content in composites, independent of the applied pretreatments. Microscopy images exhibited that mercerization improved the fiber incorporation into the polymeric matrix, diminishing the “pull out” effect; the above-mentioned result was supported by using the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy technique, observing the reduction of lignin and hemicellulose peaks in mercerized fibers. Based on the composite mechanical performance and degradability behavior, it was concluded that this material could be used in the packaging sector as biodegradable secondary packaging material.

Tissue paper conversion consists of the transformation of base tissue papers into finished tissue products to meet specific demands. When base tissue paper arrives at the converting line, it already holds different requirements that were met during its manufacture in the paper machine (e.g., grammage, bulk, tensile index, etc.). However, what happens during converting can still influence the performance and quality of the finished products. The current work addresses this topic and aims to evaluate the influence of converting conditions on the final softness. For that, two 5-ply finished tissue products were analyzed using different methodologies for their proper characterization in terms of softness and surface analysis. The analyzed products are composed by the same base tissue papers, but some changes were applied on their settings in the converting line. In particular, the base tissue papers arrangement and the embossing pressure affected the finished products, resulting in one of them being softer and more pleasant to touch, with a global handfeel (HF) value of 75.3 units, and the other revealed to be rougher and less pleasant, with a global handfeel (HF) value of 68.0 units.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical characteristics of the thermophilic granular aerobic sludge used in the treatment of bleached kraft pulp mill effluents. Four sequential batch reactors (SBRs) were operated with cycles of 12 hours. Reactor (R1-FSR) with flocculent sludge was used as control. The other three reactors (R2-GSR, R3-GSR+100, and R4-GSR+200) were operated with granular aerobic sludge. Concentrations 100 and 200 mg. L-1 of calcium were applied in the R3-GSR+100 and R4-GSR+200, respectively. The pH was maintained in the neutral range in all reactors. The experimental plan was carried out for 490-day period, in 5 phases at different temperatures of 35 °C to 55 ºC. All SBRs showed COD removal efficiency above 60% in all temperature ranges. The granule average diameter in the R2-GSR, R3-GSR+100, and R4-GSR+200 ranged from 5 to 8 mm. The reactor R3-GS+100 showed better stability due to the addition of 100 mg. L-1 of calcium. The granular sludge sedimentation velocity was 40 m.h-¹, which was eight times higher than the flocculent sludge. Thermophilic treatment (55 °C) using aerobic granular sludge proved to be a promising way for treating bleached kraft pulp mill effluent without a prior cooling process.