What is hemicellulose?
Hemicellulose, as a kind of biopolymer, is a mixture of highly branched low-molecular-weight homopolymers and heteropolymers. It is widely distributed in plants, accounting for about 15% - 20% in coniferous wood, and 15% - 35% in broad-leaved wood and gramineous grasses. It coexists with cellulose in the plant cell wall.
The distribution and composition of hemicellulose in the plant cell wall are diverse. Generally, a single plant often contains several types of hemicellulose composed of two or three sugar units, and their chemical structures also vary. Hemicellulose has a large number of free hydroxyl groups along the backbone and side chains. Through modification methods such as oxidation, hydrolysis, reduction, and cross-linking, many new functional groups can be generated, making it an ideal material for chemical functionalization.
Hemicellulose is soluble in alkaline solutions and is prone to hydrolysis when exposed to acids. Its hydrolysis and fermentation properties provide possibilities for the utilization of bioenergy and biomass resources, and it has extremely broad potential application prospects.
Industrial applications of Hemicellulose
In terms of industrial utilization, the pulping waste liquid can be used to produce yeast. From the yeast, 10% of ribonucleic acid can be extracted, which can be further derived into inosine monophosphate and guanosine monophosphate. These products can be used as flavoring agents, antiviral agents, etc. The pentose and hexose components separated from the hydrolysate, among which xylose can be processed into xylitol. Xylitol can be used as a sweetener, plasticizer, and surfactant; xylonic acid can be used as an adhesive; and polyxylose sulfate can be used as an anticoagulant.
Hemicellulose can be converted into pentose, which can be further fermented into alcohol. This technology will play a positive role in promoting the development of the alcohol industry and is of great significance for solving the problems of energy crisis, food shortage, and environmental pollution that humanity will face.
In addition, hemicellulose has hydrophilic properties, which can cause the swelling of the cell wall and endow the fibers with elasticity. During the paper sheet forming process, it is beneficial to the formation of the fiber structure and the bonding force between fibers. When hemicellulose is adsorbed onto cellulose, it increases the swelling degree and elasticity of the fibers. Therefore, it can reduce the beating energy consumption and achieve an ideal pulp strength.
Biomass refinery integrated technology - Convert low-value feedstocks into high-value sustainable chemicals and degradable materials .This new technology innovatively uses new biological solvents to carry out selective physical dissolution and separation operations on biomass raw materials.
Deep within the cell walls of every plant, there is a powerful substance, which provides the second largest source of renewable carbon on Earth. As a renewable material, we believe that lignin will eventually replace fossil materials and completely transform the way we use natural resources to produce products.
In the treasure trove of natural substances, cellulose holds a unique and crucial position. At the microscopic level, cellulose is a large-molecule polysaccharide formed by the linkage of glucose molecules. It has a "aloof" nature, being insoluble in water and not readily interacting with common organic solvents.
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