Characterization of sugars from model and enzyme-mediated pulp hydrolyzates using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to evaporative light scattering detection.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to an evaporative light scattering detector was used to quantitatively determine glucose and cellobiose in hydrolyzates from the production of cellulose nanofillers from modified lignocellulosic materials. Prevail Carbohydrate ES 5 micron column proved more suitable for achieving the chromatographic separation of the model pulp hydrolyzate into its constituent sugars than the YMC-Pack Polyamine column. Linear calibration curves for the various sugars in the mixtures were developed. Glucose and cellobiose were clearly detectable in pulp hydrolyzates obtained from enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of recycled pulp, pine and hardwood dissolving pulps. Finally, the amount of glucose in the pulp hydrolyzates was generally higher than cellobiose.

Sono-chemical preparation of cellulose nanocrystals from lignocellulose derived materials.

This study examined the production of cellulose nanocrystals from microcrystalline wood cellulose, Avicel and recycled pulp of wood pulp using sono-chemical-assisted hydrolysis. Two hydrolysis systems: deionized water and maleic acid were evaluated. In deionized water, Avicel produced cellulose nanocrystals with average diameter of 21+/-5 nm (minimum 15 nm and maximum 32 nm). Cellulose nanocrystals from recycled pulp were not distinctively spherical and had an average diameter of 23+/-4 nm (minimum 14 nm and maximum 32 nm). Maleic acid (50 mM) sono-chemical assisted hydrolysis of Avicel at 15 degrees C and 90% power output for 9 min produced cellulose nanocrystals which were cylindrical in shape and were of dimensions, length 65+/-19 nm and width 15 nm.