No abstract

We aimed to improve the mechanical properties of alginate fibers by reinforcing with various cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). Pure cellulose nanofibril (PCNF), lignocellulose nanofibril (LCNF) obtained via deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment, and TEMPO-oxidized lignocellulose nanofibril (TOLCNF) were employed. Sodium alginate (AL) was mixed with PCNF, LCNF, and TOLCNF with a CNF content of 5–30%. To fabricate microcomposite filaments, the suspensions were wet-spun in calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution through a microfluidic channel. Average diameters of the microcomposite filaments were in the range of 40.2–73.7 μm, which increased with increasing CNF content and spinning rate. The tensile strength and elastic modulus improved as the CNF content increased to 10%, but the addition of 30% CNF deteriorated the tensile properties. The tensile strength and elastic modulus were in the order of LCNF/AL > PCNF/AL > TOLCNF/AL > AL. An increase in the spinning rate improved the tensile properties.

The non-isothermal and isothermal pyrolysis properties of H lignin and P lignin extracted from different biorefinery processes (such as supercritical water hydrolysis and fast pyrolysis) were studied using thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and pyrolyzer-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The lignins were characterized by ultimate/proximate analysis, FT-IR and GPC. Based on the thermogravimetry (TG) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) curves, the thermal decomposition stages were obtained and the pyrolysis products were analyzed at each thermal decomposition stage of non-isothermal pyrolysis. The isothermal pyrolysis of lignins was also carried out at 400, 500, and 600 °C to investigate the pyrolysis product distribution at each temperature. In non-isothermal pyrolysis, P lignin recovered from a fast pyrolysis process started to decompose and produced pyrolysis products at a lower temperature than H lignin recovered from a supercritical water hydrolysis process. In isothermal pyrolysis, guaiacyl and syringyl type were the major pyrolysis products at every temperature, while the amounts of p-hydroxyphenyl type and aromatic hydrocarbons increased with the pyrolysis temperature.