Effect of Diluted H₂SO₄and NaOH Treatment on Chemical Composition of Larch and Yellow Poplar

Abstract

In this study, both mild acid and alkali treatmentswith 1.0 wt% and 2.0 wt% of H2SO4 and NaOH solution were applied to evaluatethe effects on chemical compositions of wood biomass. Yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) and larch (Larix kaempferi C.) were chosen due to major species planted in Korea. Chemical treatments of biomass were carried out by being soaked in either acid or alkali solution with 1:20 ratio for 72 hours at ambient temperature. Afterward, lignin, 5 major reduced sugars, ash contents and elemental composition were determined. To statistically understand the relationshipbetween samples and chemical treatments, the Tukey test, simple linear regression model and ANOVA analysis wereintroduced using a statistical software R. As results from both wet chemistry and statistical analysis, yellow poplar was more affected on the lignin and xylose contents by acid treatments under these experimental conditions. Meanwhile, larch was more affected on the composition of galactose and lignin by alkali treatments. A series of results in this study would show that equivalent chemical treatment makes a change the chemical composition of each species.

Mulberry Paper‐Based Supercapacitor Exhibiting High Mechanical and Chemical Toughness for Large‐Scale Energy Storage Applications

“…Mulberry paper exhibits distinct characteristics that differentiate it from commercial paper that is conventionally made from conifer or broad leaf trees. First, the mulberry pulp is composed of 2–2.5 times longer fibers than commercial paper pulp and forms a strong mechanical network that retains its network structure even when wetted with electrolyte due to the strength of Van der Waals interactions and entanglement of fibers . Second, mulberry pulp has high holocellulose composition, which contributes to the high mechanical toughness of mulberry paper.…”