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The aim of this work is to open up the structure of wood while retaining a large amount of hemicelluloses, in particular (galacto)glucomannans. The effects of pre-treatments on wood meal from spruce (Picea abies) with a reducing agent (NaBH4) combined with steam explosion at very mild conditions were investigated. The effects of steam explosion at 160 degrees C were studied for various residence times (5 to 35 min) on both water-impregnated wood meal and samples pre-treated with NaBH4. The findings showed that pre-treatment with sodium borohydride stabilized the reducing end-groups of glucomannans and that the treatment was effective both during mild steam explosion, for both long and short residence times, as well as during subsequent treatment in alkali. Extraction experiments at different pH and temperatures showed that the main part of the hemicelluloses still remained in the wood residue after treatment. The molecular weight distributions of the extracted material from the liquors indicated that there were broad molecular distributions and that the molecular weight averages were between 3 and 6 kDa., QC 20120817

The aim of this research is to separate different wood components from softwood as a first step towards development of novel materials made from Scandinavian wood. The approach is pre-treatment with a reducing agent in combination with mild steam explosion (T< 160 degrees C, t < 15 min); followed by extraction with different liquors. The aim is to retain an increased amount of hemicelluloses in general, and glucomannans in particular, during chemical treatments, preferably of high molecular weight. Experiments were performed on wood chips from spruce in small scale steam explosion equipment. A pre-treatment method with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent model substance was chosen. Wood chips pre-treated with NaBH4 were compared to untreated chips, and the chips were treated with steam explosion followed by extraction in alkali. Results showed that a higher amount of glucomannan was retained in chips treated with NaBH4 than in untreated chips. An increase in the extraction rate as an effect of steam explosion indicates a possible combination of chemical reactions that breaks up the lignin-polysaccharide network and a more porous wood structure. An experimental series with wood powder as raw material were also performed in order to study the chemical reactions during steam explosion, e. g. autohydrolysis. Water impregnated wood powder as well as wood powder treated with NaBH4 was subjected to mild steam explosion for different retention times. It was shown that a decrease in hemicelluloses content occurred after only 5 min, and the degradation was more severe at longer residence times. However, the degradation of hemicelluloses was not as severe as in the chemical treatments at conditions corresponding to chemical pulping, and consequently might be a more prudent method to access the wood structure. Extractions after steam explosion were investigated at different pH levels, and the results showed that most of the glucomannan was still in the wood res, QC 20190925

The aim of this research is to separate different wood components from softwood as a first step towards development of novel materials made from Scandinavian wood. The approach is pre-treatment with a reducing agent in combination with mild steam explosion (T< 160°C, t < 15 min); followed by extraction with different liquors. The aim is to retain an increased amount of hemicelluloses in general, and glucomannans in particular, during chemical treatments, preferably of high molecular weight. Experiments were performed on wood chips from spruce in small scale steam explosion equipment. A pre-treatment method with sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) as a reducing agent model substance was chosen. Wood chips pre-treated with NaBH 4 were compared to untreated chips, and the chips were treated with steam explosion followed by extraction in alkali. Results showed that a higher amount of glucomannan was retained in chips treated with NaBH 4 than in untreated chips. An increase in the extraction rate as an effect of steam explosion indicates a possible combination of chemical reactions that breaks up the lignin-polysaccharide network and a more porous wood structure. An experimental series with wood powder as raw material were also performed in order to study the chemical reactions during steam explosion, e. g. autohydrolysis. Water impregnated wood powder as well as wood powder treated with NaBH 4 was subjected to mild steam explosion for different retention times. It was shown that a decrease in hemicelluloses content occurred after only 5 min, and the degradation was more severe at longer residence times. However, the degradation of hemicelluloses was not as severe as in the chemical treatments at conditions corresponding to chemical pulping, and consequently might be a more prudent method to access the wood structure. Extractions after steam explosion were investigated at different pH levels, and the results showed that most of the glucomannan was still in the wood, QC 20140829