Treesearch

Post-fibrillation endoglucanase treatment was employed to reduce the entanglement of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) produced with low extent of mechanical milling. The results showed that post-fibrillation endoglucanase treatment can effectively reduce the fibril degree of polymerization (DP) values and therefore entanglement. Cellulose DP was reduced from 520 for CNFs prepared by milling using a SuperMassColloider with 1 pass to 225 after endoglucanase treatment at a low dosage of 1 mg protein/g fibril for 24 h. Endoglucanase treatment can also effectively reduce the fibril mean diameter...

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is vital for the reduction of the environmental impact of the aviation industry while decreasing the dependence of the USA on foreign petroleum fuels. To date, SAF, especially from cellulosic feedstocks, have struggled to overcome two barriers: (1) meeting price parity with their petroleum counterparts and (2) the large capital investment required for industrial-scale biorefineries. Repurposing of industrial facilities has been suggested as a means of addressing both challenges. In this study we look at the financial impact of manufacturing SAF using three...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of biological and chemical remediation of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated Corymbia citriodora poles, removed from service after 30 years. The presence of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu) was quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES). Twelve species of decay fungi were used for the biological remediation assay. For chemical remediation oxalic, citric, maleic and ethylenediamine tetraacetic (EDTA) acids were used for 24 and 48 h. In biological remediation, copper-tolerant brown-rot...

Due to the large amount of inherent chemical energy, implementation of hydrogen peroxide pulp bleaching requires a high level of safety design and process review. Even with safety controls, in-place accidents have occurred at kraft pulp bleaching facilities. Using a combination of experiments and chemical engineering analysis, we present a validated model of hydrogen peroxide decomposition under alkaline conditions that are typically found in kraft pulp bleaching processes. Using the model, we then calculated several characteristic parameters required to determine the criticality class and...

Wood pallets are ubiquitous products that can be recovered and reused to enhance their service life and environmental performance. Repair/remanufacturing has an important role in extending the service life of the wood pallet. To quantify environmental performances of wood pallet reuse, this study developed representative life cycle inventory data for pallet repair/remanufacturing in the United States based on comprehensive industry-wide production data for 2018. A gate-to-gate life cycle assessment covering raw material supply, raw material transportation and pallet repair/remanufacturing...

The surprising lack of literature on using the very common wood adhesive polymeric methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) with protein adhesives may be because of perceived poor improvement of protein wet strength. Reacting pMDI with the flour (soy or canola) before adding water unexpectedly improves wood bonding compared to adding the pMDI to an aqueous protein slurry. Mixing the liquid pMDI with the oilseed flour produces a free-flowing powder with up to 50% of pMDI to flour by weight. The mixture slowly reacts since the isocyanate band in the infrared spectra remains for several days but...

Xylobiose is a prebiotic sugar that has applications in functional foods. This report describes the first X-ray crystallographic structure models of apo and xylobiose-bound forms of a xylobiohydrolase (XBH) from Acetivibrio clariflavus. This xylan-active enzyme, a member of the recently described glycoside hydrolase family 30 (GH30), subfamily 10, phylogenetic clade has been shown to strictly release xylobiose as its primary hydrolysis product. Inspection of the apo structure reveals a glycone region X2-binding slot. When X2 binds, the non-reducing xylose in the −
2 subsite is highly...

The effect of thermomechanical densification treatment on the abrasion resistance of five hardwood species were investigated in this study. The species tested include ash (Fraxinus sp.), hickory (Carya sp.), red oak (Quercus sp.), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and white oak (Quercus sp.). The abrasion test was performed according to the American Society of Testing and Materials standards. Ten specimens from each species were initially tested for abrasion resistance, and those specimens were then put through a thermomechanical densification process. The densification process consisted...

Novel nanocellulose based nanostructures modified with hyperbranched polymers were prepared by using isocyanate linking chemistry. The chemistry was investigated using FTIR spectroscopy. The composites were homogenized utilizing solvent casting followed by injection molding of the samples. The thermal properties of the prepared samples were investigated using DSC and TGA.

May 2022 data softness was concentrated in housing starts and permits, on a month-over-month basis. Year-over-year data indicated an improvement; however, single-family permits were negative again. This marks the third consecutive month of single-family starts and permits declining. This suggests further moderation in single-family activity in the upcoming months. Increased borrowing costs combined with rising house prices resulted in a major setback for new house sales. The number of potential buyers is dwindling quickly, and first-time buyers also are being constrained by increasing...