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Wood and cellulose derivatives, in both fibrous and water-soluble macromolecular form, are emerging as outstanding candidates for organic electronics applications due to their large-scale availability, low cost, and easy processability. Paper and wood fibre-based derivatives are considered to be materials of choice as supports for communication world-wide. The interest in producing inexpensive and universally available conducting polymer/cellulose fibres substrates resides in the possibility of creating new materials that can be used for a broad range of advanced applications. For instance, PPy/cellulose fibres composites can be used for the preparation of energy storage devices thanks to the conjugation of the high specific area of cellulose fibres and the electrochemical properties of PPy. Other possible applications of such composites are in the area of the antistatic materials, sensors, electromagnetic interference shielding materials, smart packaging, and tissues. Concerning the woody polymers, some of them (i.e. cellulose derivatives) also exhibit biocompatibility, as well as film-forming properties and transparency. In combination with the electrical properties of PPy, these features make PPy/macromolecular cellulose composites suitable for applications as displays, lighting, and photovoltaics. Due to their chemical structure, macromolecular wood derivatives have been proposed with success as enhancing conductivity additives in Py polymerisation. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of PPy chemistry and of the most relevant advances attained in the production of PPy/wood derived materials conducting composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the thermomechanical pulping (TMP) process both wood chip quality and the refining process have important effects on the resulting pulp and paper quality. Properties of wood raw material give a framework for final pulp properties. During TMP refining the specific energy consumption and refining intensity strongly impact fibre and pulp qualities. Increasing specific energy consumption benefits the development of fibres and improves their properties. However, high intensity refining tends to shorten the fibres and produces more fines content when compared with low intensity refining. This review focuses on the influence of key variables of chip qualities and the refining process on TMP pulp and paper qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive paper was prepared via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) in pulp suspension by using iron(III) p-toluenesulfonate (Fe(OTs)3) as both an oxidant and a dopant source. The deposition of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) on the pulp fiber surface was verified and characterized by ATR-FTIR and SEM analyses. The factors affecting the conductivity of the PEDOT-coated paper were investigated, and the preparation conditions of the conductive paper with a low resistivity and excellent environmental stability was obtained. The optimum reaction temperature and time were 60 °C and 4 h, respectively. The molar ratio of EDOT to Fe(OTs)3 of 1:1 was optimal when considering both cost and performance factors. The conductivity of the PEDOT-coated paper could be controlled by adjusting EDOT concentration. The threshold concentration of EDOT was about 3 g⋅L-1, and a volume resistivity as low as 5.9x10³ Ω⋅cm could be achieved, which reached the conductivity range of an electrical conductor. The environmental stability of the PEDOT-coated conductive paper was very good due to the much higher oxidation potential of PEDOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details the effects of two non-ionic surfactants, ELA-7 and PEG 1500, on the soda pulping of wheat straw. The results showed that application of either surfactant improved the pulp yield and decreased the screen rejects. The increase in pulp yield at similar kappa number may be due to higher selectivity of delignification affected by surfactant, which can act as a co-solvent. Addition of ELA-7 to cooking liquor didn't have significant effect on paper properties. But a significant effect was observed with PEG 1500. In fact, it caused a decrease in burst and tensile index but increased the tear index, probably because of a debonding effect of the surfactant. In addition, application of both surfactants improved brightness for both unbleached and bleached pulp samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of ink into paper affects the final appearance of printing and the amount of ink usage. In this work, UV-curing fluorescent rose ink was used to investigate the penetration and distribution of the ink pigments as well as their correlation with the surface topography of paper. The ink penetration and distribution were characterized with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), whereas the microstructure of the paper surface was observed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The AFM results showed that the surface of the paper coated with kaolin layer was the smoothest among the samples. Also the pore size of the calcium carbonate coating layer was smaller than that of the kaolin coating layer. Meanwhile, the pore size distribution of the calcium carbonate coating layer appeared to be relatively narrow, compared with other samples. The results of CLSM images indicated that the depth, size, and arrangement of pores affected the penetration depth and distribution of ink pigment on coated paper. The large pores led to deeper penetration of ink pigments, and uniform ink absorption occurred when the pore distribution was uniform. The UV-curing ink pigments not only set on the surface of the uncoated paper, but also they penetrated into the paper interior and adhered to the fiber surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparision between pulping of canola stalks with dimethyl formamide and diethylene glycol was studied in order to investigate the effects of cooking temperature (190°C, 210°C, and 230°C), cooking time (120 min, 150 min, and 180 min) and dimethyl formamide or diethylene glycol (50%, 60%, and 70%) on the properties of pulp and paper. SCAN viscosity was applied to estimate the extent of cellulose degradation. Responses of pulp and handsheet properties to the process were analyzed using statistical software (MINITAB 15). The results showed that DMF pulp of canola was better than DEG pulp of Canola under the same conditions of cooking and organosolv ratio. In DMF pulping and DEG pulping, cooking temperature is a significant factor affecting paper properties. Analysis of results revealed that DMF pulp canola obtained at 230 °C, 180 min, and 70% DMF had a low kappa number (25), indicating that the desired properties of the final product dictated the optimized pulping conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filter media, including those prepared from cellulosic materials, often suffer from permeability loss during continued use. To help understand such issues, one can take advantage of an extensive body of related research in such fields as industrial filtration, water purification, enhanced oil recovery, chromatography, paper manufacture, and the leaching of pollutants from impoundments. Though the mechanisms that appear to govern permeability-loss phenomena depend a lot on the details of various applications, the published research has revealed a number of common features. In particular, flow through a porous bed or fiber mat can be markedly reduced by deposition of particles or colloidal matter in positions that either block or partially restrict fluid flow. Progress has been achieved in the development of mechanistic models, as well as the use of such models in numerical simulations to explain various experimental findings. Further research of this type needs to be applied to cellulosic materials, which tend to be much more elongated in comparison to the bed materials and suspended matter considered most often by most researchers active in research related to permeability loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retention behavior of polymers having the specific affinities of glycohydrolases for pulp fibers was investigated with regard to paper-strength enhancement in contaminated papermaking systems. Carbohydratebinding modules (CBMs) of cellulases derived from Trichoderma viride and T. reesei, and of xylanase from Thermomyces lanuginosus, were obtained by site-directed digestion with papain, then introduced into anionic polyacrylamide (A-PAM) via a peptide condensation reaction. Three types of CBM-conjugated A-PAMs (CBM-A-PAMs) displayed different retention behavior, depending on the kind of pulp substrates, i.e. hardwood and softwood fibers. The CBM-A-PAM from T. viride demonstrated good additive retention for hardwood pulp fibers, resulting in high tensile strength of paper sheets, even under contaminated conditions in the presence of Ca2+ ions and ligninsulfonate. The CBM-APAM from T. reesei showed better performance for softwood than for hardwood sheets. The xylanase CBM-A-PAM was preferentially retained on hardwood fibers in which hemicelluloses might be present. Such an additive retention system, with inherent affinities of enzymes for pulp fibers, is expected to expand the application range of CBM-polymers in practical wet-end processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the regulation and purification of β-glucosidases from a thermotolerant Aspergillus terreus AN1 strain, previously reported for efficient deinking of composite paper waste. The differential expression of four β-glucosidase isoforms, in response to carbon sources in production medium, was studied by electrophoretically resolving proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis (PAGE) and developing zymograms using methylum-belliferyl β-D glucoside as substrate. Three β-glucosidases (βGI, βGII & βGIII) were purified using chromatographic techniques. SDS-PAGE revealed the respective molecular masses of βGI, βGII, and βGIII, as 29, 43, and 98 KDa, and isoelectric point (pI) to be 2.8, 3.7, and 3.0. The β-glucosidases exhibited diverse pH and temperature optima as well as stability. β-Glucosidase I (βGI) specifically recognized pNP-β-glucopyranoside (pNPG) as a substrate, whereas, β-glucosidase II (βGII) and III (βGIII) also showed activities against cellobiose and salicin. In contrast to βGII and βGIII, the activity of βGI was positively influenced in the presence of hexoses/pentoses and alcohols. Km and Vmax for hydrolysis of pNPG by βGI, βGII, andβGIII were found to be 14.2 mM and 166.9 µmol -1mg protein -1, 4.37 mM, and 34.7 µmol -1mg proteins -1, and 11.1 mM and 378.7µ mol -1 mg protein -1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of fiber characteristics, especially fiber wall thickness, on the hygroexpansion behavior of paper due to humidity changes. Five different eucalyptus Kraft pulp samples were studied with an OPTIDIM hygroexpansivity tester. As a reference, birch and acacia were included. In all, seven pulp samples were refined at low consistency (LC), using a Voith Sulzer refiner. Both anisotropic and isotropic sheets were investigated. The sheets were dried under restraint. The results showed that fiber wall thickness is an important factor in controlling the hygroexpansivity of paper through fiber network activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many words have been written regarding alkaline sizing of paper. The learned works often launch directly into cellulose-size reactions. Starch - a carbohydrate with a similar surface chemistry to cellulose - rarely features in the considerations. Yet the contact of size with the starch may be far more intimate and extensive than the contact with cellulose. It is suggested that the reaction of the size with starch is an important and overlooked contribution to our understanding of sizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-editors of BioResources note the completion of our first ten years. We think that the journal can be judged as a success based on having achieved an impact factor of about 1.4 each year since 2009 and having reached a publication rate of about 700 articles per year. We strive to be a "people's journal" serving scientists, students, and society. We plan to continue emphasizing editorial pieces and review articles, which supplement our main service of publishing peer-reviewed articles dealing with the science of lignocellulosic materials, chemicals, and their uses. We also support undergraduate scholarship in our academic department, including tuition payment, opportunities for pre-editing work, and support for undergraduates to attend conferences, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]