From bio-based residues to nanofibers using mechanical fibrillation for functional biomaterials

Document identifier: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-76015
Keyword: Engineering and Technology, Materials Engineering, Teknik och teknologier, Materialteknik, Industrial Biotechnology, Bio Materials, Industriell bioteknik, Biomaterial, Nanofibers, Industrial residues, Ultrafine grinding, Energy-efficiency, Network formation, Hydrogel, Trä och bionanokompositer, Wood and Bionanocomposites
Publication year: 2019
Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

The SDG label(s) above have been assigned by OSDG.ai

Abstract:

Bio-based resource utilization in different forms has been driven by societal, industrial and academic research interests towards the development of “green”, sustainable materials from renewable sources. Within this context, exploiting biomass from different industrial residues is further advantageous from an environmental and economic point of view, leading to minimization of residues by means of waste treatment and to the development of high-addedvalue- products. Breaking down the cell wall structure to its smallest structural components is one means of turning bio-based residues into high-value products, leaving us with nanofibers. The aim of this work has been to understand how these nanofibers can be liberated from various cellulosic sources using mechanical fibrillation and how they can be assembled into functional hydrogels.

The production of bio-based nanofibers as a sustainable bio-based material is in the early stages of commercialization and considerable research has been devoted to explore different methods of reaching nanoscale. However, the extraction process by chemical and/or mechanical means is still associated with a relatively high energy demand and/or cost. These are key obstacles for use of the material in a wide range of applications. Another challenge is that methods to characterize nanofiber dimensions are still being developed, with few options available as online measurements for assessing the degree of fibrillation. Allowing for assessment during the fibrillation process would enable not only optimization towards a more energy efficient fibrillation, but also matching of the nanofiber quality to its intended function, since different applications will require widely different nanofiber qualities. Energy-efficient fibrillation and scalability from industrial residues were explored using upscalable ultrafine grinding processes.

Nanofibers from various industrial bio-residues and wood were prepared and characterized, including the development of a method for evaluation of the fibrillation process online via viscosity measurements as an indication of the degree of fibrillation down to nanoscale. Furthermore, the correlation of viscosity to that of the strength of the nanopapers (dried fiber networks) was evaluated for the different raw materials.

Switchable ionic liquids (SIL) were tested as a green pretreatment for delignification, without bleaching of wood prior to fibrillation, with the aim to preserve the low environmental impact that the raw material source offers.

In order to employ the hydrophilic nature and strong network formation ability of the fibrillated nanofibers, they were utilized in the preparation of functional biomaterials in the form of hydrogels. Firstly, brewer’s spent grain nanofibers were used to promote and reinforce hydrogel formation of lignin-containing arabinoxylan, resulting in a hydrogel completely derived from barley residues. In addition, alginate-rich seaweed nanofibers from the stipe (stem-like part of the seaweed) were used directly after fibrillation as an ink and hydrogels were formed via 3D printing.

Authors

Linn Berglund

Luleå tekniska universitet; Materialvetenskap
Other publications >>

Kristiina Oksman

Luleå tekniska universitet; Materialvetenskap
Other publications >>

Monika Österberg

The Bioproduct Chemistry Group, Deprtment of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, Aalto, Finland,
Other publications >>

Documents attached

Click on thumbnail to read

Record metadata

Click to view metadata

	
    header: 
        identifier: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-76015
        datestamp: 2021-04-19T12:43:07Z
        setSpec: SwePub-ltu
    metadata: 
        mods: 
            @attributes: 
                version: 3.7
            recordInfo: 
                recordContentSource: ltu
                recordCreationDate: 2019-09-19
            identifier: 
                978-91-7790-444-1
                978-91-7790-445-8
                http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-76015
            titleInfo: 
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    title: From bio-based residues to nanofibers using mechanical fibrillation for functional biomaterials
                    @attributes: 
                        type: alternative
                        lang: swe
                    title: Från biobaserade restprodukter till nanofibrer genom mekanisk fibrillering för funktionella material
            abstract: 
Bio-based resource utilization in different forms has been driven by societal industrial and academic research interests towards the development of “green” sustainable materials from renewable sources. Within this context exploiting biomass from different industrial residues is further advantageous from an environmental and economic point of view leading to minimization of residues by means of waste treatment and to the development of high-addedvalue- products. Breaking down the cell wall structure to its smallest structural components is one means of turning bio-based residues into high-value products leaving us with nanofibers. The aim of this work has been to understand how these nanofibers can be liberated from various cellulosic sources using mechanical fibrillation and how they can be assembled into functional hydrogels.
The production of bio-based nanofibers as a sustainable bio-based material is in the early stages of commercialization and considerable research has been devoted to explore different methods of reaching nanoscale. However the extraction process by chemical and/or mechanical means is still associated with a relatively high energy demand and/or cost. These are key obstacles for use of the material in a wide range of applications. Another challenge is that methods to characterize nanofiber dimensions are still being developed with few options available as online measurements for assessing the degree of fibrillation. Allowing for assessment during the fibrillation process would enable not only optimization towards a more energy efficient fibrillation but also matching of the nanofiber quality to its intended function since different applications will require widely different nanofiber qualities. Energy-efficient fibrillation and scalability from industrial residues were explored using upscalable ultrafine grinding processes.
Nanofibers from various industrial bio-residues and wood were prepared and characterized including the development of a method for evaluation of the fibrillation process online via viscosity measurements as an indication of the degree of fibrillation down to nanoscale. Furthermore the correlation of viscosity to that of the strength of the nanopapers (dried fiber networks) was evaluated for the different raw materials.
Switchable ionic liquids (SIL) were tested as a green pretreatment for delignification without bleaching of wood prior to fibrillation with the aim to preserve the low environmental impact that the raw material source offers.
In order to employ the hydrophilic nature and strong network formation ability of the fibrillated nanofibers they were utilized in the preparation of functional biomaterials in the form of hydrogels. Firstly brewer’s spent grain nanofibers were used to promote and reinforce hydrogel formation of lignin-containing arabinoxylan resulting in a hydrogel completely derived from barley residues. In addition alginate-rich seaweed nanofibers from the stipe (stem-like part of the seaweed) were used directly after fibrillation as an ink and hydrogels were formed via 3D printing.

            subject: 
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                        authority: uka.se
                    topic: 
                        Engineering and Technology
                        Materials Engineering
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: swe
                        authority: uka.se
                    topic: 
                        Teknik och teknologier
                        Materialteknik
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                        authority: uka.se
                    topic: 
                        Engineering and Technology
                        Industrial Biotechnology
                        Bio Materials
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: swe
                        authority: uka.se
                    topic: 
                        Teknik och teknologier
                        Industriell bioteknik
                        Biomaterial
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: Nanofibers
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: Industrial residues
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: Ultrafine grinding
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: Energy-efficiency
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: Network formation
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                    topic: Hydrogel
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: swe
                        authority: ltu
                    topic: Trä och bionanokompositer
                    genre: Research subject
                    @attributes: 
                        lang: eng
                        authority: ltu
                    topic: Wood and Bionanocomposites
                    genre: Research subject
            language: 
                languageTerm: eng
            genre: 
                publication/doctoral-thesis
                vet
            note: 
                Published
                1
            name: 
                    @attributes: 
                        type: personal
                        authority: ltu
                    namePart: 
                        Berglund
                        Linn
                    role: 
                        roleTerm: aut
                    affiliation: 
                        Luleå tekniska universitet
                        Materialvetenskap
                    nameIdentifier: 
                        iliebu
                        0000-0002-6247-5963
                    @attributes: 
                        type: personal
                        authority: ltu
                    namePart: 
                        Oksman
                        Kristiina
                        Professor
                    role: 
                        roleTerm: ths
                    affiliation: 
                        Luleå tekniska universitet
                        Materialvetenskap
                    nameIdentifier: 
                        krioks
                        0000-0003-4762-2854
                    @attributes: 
                        type: personal
                    namePart: 
                        Österberg
                        Monika
                        Associate professor
                    role: 
                        roleTerm: opn
                    affiliation: The Bioproduct Chemistry Group Deprtment of Bioproducts and Biosystems Aalto University Aalto Finland
                    nameIdentifier: 0000-0002-3558-9172
            originInfo: 
                dateIssued: 2019
                publisher: Luleå University of Technology
            relatedItem: 
                @attributes: 
                    type: series
                titleInfo: 
                    title: Doctoral thesis / Luleå University of Technology 1 jan 1997 → …
                identifier: 1402-1544
            location: 
                url: http://ltu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1352564/FULLTEXT01.pdf
            accessCondition: gratis
            physicalDescription: 
                form: electronic
            typeOfResource: text