Open Access

ARTICLE

Nanostructural Evolution of Sugarcane Rind and Pith Submitted to Hydrothermal Pretreatments

by

1 Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Caixa Postal 6192, 13083-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil
2 São Carlos School of Engineering (EESC), University of São Paulo (USP), Caixa Postal 780, 13560-970, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brasil
3 São Carlos Institute of Chemistry (IQSC), University of São Paulo (USP), Caixa Postal 780, 13560-970, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brasil

*Corresponding author:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2018, 6(2), 152-159. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2017.6341576

Abstract

Lignocellulose conversion into cellulosic ethanol and coproducts starts with a pretreatment step. Most current industrial plants of cellulosic ethanol use thermochemical pretreatments under hydrothermal conditions, with or without addition of acid catalyst. Such pretreatments modify biomass chemistry and morphology, particularly at the nanoscale. In this work, we use X-ray diffraction, dynamic vapor sorption and calorimetric thermoporometry to investigate the biomass nanostructural changes promoted by hydrothermal conditions. We compare and differentiate the rind and pith fractions of sugarcane stalks in order to contribute to the understanding of rind-pith contrasting recalcitrance. Moreover, for both cane fractions our results point consistently to cellulose co-crystallization, lignin aggregation, and opening of nanoscale pores as the main nanostructural phenomena occurring during hydrothermal treatments.

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Keywords

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