Cement-bonded particleboard with a mixture of wheat straw and poplar wood

We investigated the hydration behavior and some physical/mechanical properties of cement-bonded particleboard (CBPB) containing particles of wheat straw and poplar wood at various usage ratios and bonded with Portland cement mixed with different levels of inorganic additives. We determined the setting time and compression strength of cement pastes containing different additives and particles, and studied the effects of these additives and particles on thickness swelling, internal bond strength and modulus of rupture of CBPB by using RSM (Response Surface Methodology). The mathematical model equations (second-order response functions) were derived to optimize properties of CBPB by computer simulation programming. Predicted values were in agreement with experimental values (R2 values of 0.93, 0.96 and 0.96 for TS, IB and MOR, respectively). RSM can be efficiently applied to model panel properties. The variables can affect the properties of panels. The cement composites with bending strength > 12.5 MPa and internal bond strength > 0.28 MPa can be made by using wheat straw as a reinforcing material. Straw particle usage up to 11.5% in the mixture satisfies the minimum requirements of International Standard, EN 312 (2003) for IB and MOR. The dose of 4.95% calcium chloride, by weight of cement, can improve mechanical properties of the panels at the minimum requirement of EN 312. By increasing straw content from 0 to 30%, TS was reduced by increasing straw particle usage up to 1.5% and with 5.54% calcium chloride in the mixture, TS satisfied the EN 312 standard.     

Properties of wheat straw particleboards bonded with different types of resin

Wheat straw particleboard bonded with a urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin, usually employed in the manufacture of wood-based particleboards, or with a resin based on epoxidised oil was manufactured using a compression molding machine. The effects of resin type on internal bond strength, flexural modulus, and thickness swelling were examined. The properties of boards using UF resins were poor. Internal bond strength and thickness swelling, linked to adhesion quality, were especially low. The high compatibility between straw particles and oil-based resin was explained in terms of straw surface free energy. In straw, this parameter exhibits a much lower polar component than wood species and leads to higher compatibility with resins based on oil than with water-soluble systems like UF.     

Structural characterization of lignin from wheat straw

Enzyme/mild acidolysis lignin (EMAL) was isolated from wheat straw. The structural characterization of wheat straw EMAL was investigated by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, quantitative ³¹P NMR and DFRC, and DEPT CH (θ = 135C°) techniques. The wheat straw EMAL was a GSH-lignin with β-O-4′ structures and several condensed units (β-5′, β-β′, β-1′, 5-5′) and vinyl ether moieties; the contents of DBDO substructures and total β-aryl ether in the wheat straw EMAL were 0.257 mmol·g⁻¹ and 0.818 mmol·g⁻¹, respectively. Meanwhile, the structure features of the hemicelluloses residues attached to lignin were also investigated using DEPT CH (θ = 135C°) spectra.     

麦秸刨花板的生产工艺研究

麦秸刨花板作为一种新型人造板，由于其对环境保护重要贡献，受到人们的普遍关注和重视，但其在实际生产过程却面临着一系列的问题。作者结合生产试验，研究了麦秸刨花板的生产工艺，提出了具体的工艺参数和工艺措施。对该产品的开发生产具有很好的指导作用。     

Development of high-performance UF-bonded reed and wheat straw medium-density fiberboard

Urea formaldehyde resin-bonded reed and wheat straw fiberboards were produced from the fibers made under different steam cooking conditions in refining processes at densities of 500 and 700kg/m³. The effect of steam cooking conditions on the board properties was examined. The steam pressure and cooking time for reed and wheat straws were 0.4MPa/10min and 0.4MPa/5min, respectively, and 0.6MPa/3min and 0.6MPa/10min for both straws. The effect of steam cooking treatment before the fiber refining process on the wettability and weight losses of the straws was also investigated. The results indicated that the mechanical properties and linear expansion of the straw medium-density fiberboard (MDF) were improved with increasing steam cooking pressure and time during the refining process, whereas the thickness swelling (TS) did not vary much. The wettability of the straws was improved by cooking treatment. The steam cooking conditions had little effect on the wettability of the straw surfaces. For reed and wheat straws, the weight losses increased with increasing steam pressure and cooking time. In addition, it was found that the properties of MDF were significantly higher than those of particleboard, especially the internal bond (IB), where the IB values of MDF were more than 10 times higher than those of particleboard. All the properties of the straw MDF, except the TS of wheat board, can meet the requirement of JIS fiberboard standard. The high performances of MDF could be due to the improved wettability and the removal of extractives during the refining process.     

Acetic acid pulping of wheat straw under atmospheric pressure

Atmospheric acetic acid pulping of wheat straw was carried out. Pulping conditions and their effects on pulp properties were investigated in detail, and a comparison between acetic acid (AcOH) pulp and soda-anthraquinone (AQ) pulps of wheat straw was made of the chemical composition, strength, and fiber morphology of the pulps. Wheat straw was successfully pulped and fractionated into pulp (cellulose), acetic acid lignin, and sugars (monosaccharides from hemicellulose), making it easy to utilize them. It was found that among the pulping conditions the dosage of H₂SO₄ as catalyst was the most notable, and the extent and rate of delignification could be controlled by varying the amount of the catalyst. The results also showed that acetic acid pulp was quite different from soda-AQ pulp. About 70% of the ash or 90% of the silica in wheat straw were kept in AcOH pulp. The ash might function as filler and be beneficial to the printability of paper. It was known that many epidermal cells existed in AcOH pulp in bundles or in single cells. These ash-rich nonfiber cells seemed to hinder the bonding between fibers. AcOH pulp had lower strength than soda-AQ pulp, which might result mainly from the chemical damage of fibers caused by acid, not from the depolymerization of cellulose.Part of this paper was presented at the 65th Pulp and Paper Research Conference of Japan TAPPI, Tokyo, June 1998     

Use of butanol-water mixtures for making wheat straw pulp

Summary A central composite design was used to investigate the influence of the cooking conditions (time, temperature and butanol concentration) for wheat straw with butanol-water mixtures on the properties of the pulp obtained (yield and holocellulose, α-cellulose, lignin and ethanol-benzene extractives contents) and the pH of the resulting waste water. A second-order polynomial model consisting of three independent process variables was found to accurately describe the organosolv pulping of wheat straw. The equations derived predict the yield, the holocellulose, α-cellulose, lignin and ethanol-benzene extractives contents of the pulp, and the pH of the waste water with multiple-R, R², adjusted-R² and Snedecor' F values of 0.99, 0.99, 0.99 and 310.33; 0.98, 0.97, 0.95 and 56.63; 0.91, 0.84, 0.74 and 9.14; 0.99, 0.98, 0.96 and 70.52; 0.97, 0.94, 0.92 and 40.42; and 0.98, 0.95, 0.93 and 49.33, respectively. The process variables must be set at low values in order to ensure a high yield and pH. On the other hand, if a high holocellulose content and low lignin and ethanol-benzene extractives contents are to be obtained, then the process variables must be set at high values. Finally, obtaining pulp with a high α-cellulose content entails using a long cooking time and a high temperature, as well as a low butanol concentration. Received 1 July 1996     

麦草碱木质素的氧化降解及产物特性的研究(I)

对不同氧化条件下,麦草氧化碱木质素的分子质量、酸溶木质素含量、酚羟基、羧基、甲氧基含量、表面活性的变化进行了研究.研究表明,当用碱量较高(60%,30%)时,其分子质量均一化程度较高.加入H2O2后分子质量＞10 000的高分子组分含量明显下降,但用碱量较低(10%.5%)时则变化不大,说明在02/H202氧化时碱有着明显作用.对酸溶木质素含量来说,也呈现出这一规律.木质素经氧化后,酚羟基含量升高,而羧基、甲氧基含量下降.在高用碱量条件(60%、30%)下,氧化木质素的表面张力下降较大,添加H202后下降更为明显.当用碱量为60%、H202用量10%时,氧化木质素4%水溶液的表面张力可由原木质素的46.8 mN/m降至38 8 mN/m     

Upgrading of urea formaldehyde-bonded reed and wheat straw particleboards using silane coupling agents

Reed and wheat straw particleboards bonded with urea formaldehyde (UF) resin were manufactured from two different material configurations (i.e., fine and coarse particles). The board densities were in the range of 0.550–.90g/cm³. The effects of particle size and board density on the board properties were examined. The properties of particleboard produced from fine particles were better than those made from coarse particles. An increase in board density resulted in a corresponding improvement in the board properties. The properties of OF bonded reed and wheat straw particleboards were relatively lower than those of commercial particleboards. Three silane coupling agents were used to improve the bondability between the reed and wheat particles and OF resin. Results of this study indicate that all the board properties were improved by the addition of silane coupling agent. The degree of improvement achieved from each coupling agent was different; epoxide silane was found to be more effective for reed straw particleboard, and amino silane was better for wheat straw particleboard.     

麦秸染色预处理工艺与染色剂筛选

选取直接染料、活性染料、碱性染料在热浸渍条件下对不同预处理后的麦秸进行染色试验.根据色度学指标及染料上染率的对比分析,考察不同预处理方式对麦秸染色效果的影响,优选适合麦秸的染料种类和预处理工艺.结果表明:麦秸在1％氢氧化钠预处理去蜡层,用直接染料、碱性染料、活性染料分别染色后,其色度学指标△E*分别为46.27、49.52和57.31,上染率分别为43.71％、50.12％和75％,活性染料染色后的麦秸色彩较其他两种染料效果好,并且染料利用率较高.     

Chemical characteristics of straw fiber and properties of straw fiberboard with different pretreatments

Surface chemical characteristics of straw fiber have a great effect on the properties of interfacial conglutination between straw fiber and adhesives. In our study, straw was treated by four different methods—hot water, acetic acid, sodium sulfite and sodium hydrid sulfite. Our results show that the main chemical group of straw fiber, under the four different treatments, has not changed significantly. The acetic acid treatment reduces pH values of straw fibers and has a significant effect on the internal bonding strength of straw fiberboards. The modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity did not clearly improve with the four different treatments. The thickness swelling of straw fiberboard treated in different ways is higher than that of standard values. It is concluded that acid treatment is optimal for producing good quality straw fiberboard. __________ Translated from China Forest Products Industry, 2006, 33(4): 24–26 [译自: 林产工业]     

Hydrothermal and organosolv pretreatments of poplar wood and wheat straw for saccharification by a Trichoderma viride cellulase

Summary Two types of processes have been applied for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials in order to render them easily degradable by the cellulase of Trichoderma viride. They were compared at different temperatures, with regard both to the residual dry mass and the improvement in accessibility to the enzyme complex. The latter was measured in terms of glucose liberated, which was quantified by HPLC. Hydrothermolysis proved more effective than the organosolv process for the pretreatment of wheat straw, and vice versa for poplar wood. In terms of the percentage of glucan enzymatically converted to glucose, yields up to 90% could be achieved.One of the authors (H.H.) would like to thank the Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf for granting a bursary. We are also grateful to Mr. Josef Huber for his kind assistance in preparing the three-dimensional plot     

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHANGES OF STEAM TREATED WOOD CHIP

High dimensional stable particlcboards could be produced by usisng saturatedsteam treated wood chip at elevated pressures.Sample Particleboards were made from woodchip of Birch(Platyphylla).The component changes of steam treated wood chip were analysedby infrared.Infrared spectra demonstrated that the hemicelluloses in steam treated chip wereless than those in untreated chip.This is one of the main reasons why steam treatment could im-prove particlcboard stability.The free radical concentration of steam treated chip surfaces wasanalysed by ESR spectroscopy.The results showed that free radical concentration of treatedchip surface was higher than that of untreated chip surface.The glueyness of chip increased andparticlcboard resin content decreased.     

Comparative study of organic solvent and water-soluble lipophilic extractives from wheat straw I: yield and chemical composition

 The chemical composition of six lipophilic extractives from wheat straw by extraction with toluene-ethanol (2 : 1, v/v), chloroform-methanol (2 : 1, v/v), methyl tert-butyl ether, hexane, petroleum ether, and dichloromethane, respectively, in a Soxhlet extractor, and one water-soluble lipophilic extract has been examined. Five main lipid classes (free fatty/resin acids, sterols, waxes, steryl esters, triglycerides) were identified and their individual components quantified by gas chromatography as their trimethylsilyl (TMS) esters (free fatty/resin acids) and TMS ethers (sterols). The abundant saturated fatty acids were palmitic acid (C16:0), myristic acid (C14:0), and pentadecanoic acid (C15:0). Palmitoleic acid (C16:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and oleic acid (C18:1) were the major unsaturated free fatty acids. Abietic acid was detected as the only single component in the resin acids. Of the sterols identified, β-sitosterol was found to be the major compound together with minor amounts of cholesterol, ergosterol, stigmasterol, and stigmastanol. Palmityl palmitate and oleyl palmitate were identified as the major components in waxes. The steryl esters analyzed were composed of steryl laurate, steryl myristate, steryl palmitate, steryl heptadecanoate, and steryl oleate. Tripalmitin, dipalmitoyl-oleoylglycerol, and triolein were the major components of the triglycerides. Received: January 29, 2001 / Accepted: January 30, 2001 Acknowledgments We are grateful for the financial support of this research from the LINK program (fractionation of wheat straw) of the U.K. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, and the prominent young scientist program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 30025036). We also thank Mrs. Jianmin Fang for her help with extraction of the samples. Correspondence to:R.C. Sun     

Comparative study of organic solvent-soluble and water-soluble lipophilic extractives from wheat straw 2: spectroscopic and thermal analysis

As a continuing study of six organic solventsoluble lipophilic extractives and one water-soluble lipophilic extract from wheat straw, seven extracts were further compared using Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) analysis,¹H and¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. In the FT-IR spectra of two-thirds chloroform/one-third methanol, methyltertbutyl ether (MTBE), hexane, petroleum ether, and dichloromethane extracts, a strong band at 1746cm^–1 is indicative of the ester carbonyl of triglycerides or steryl esters or waxes, whereas the occurrence of carboxylic carbonyl of free fatty acids or resin acids at 1712–1719 cm^–1 is verified in the spectra of two-thirds toluene/one-third ethanol and hot water extracts. Signals at 187.9,178.4, and 173.3 ppm in the¹³C NMR spectrum of MTBE extract correspond to carbonyl groups of resin acids, fatty acids, and fatty acid/steryl esters, respectively. All the extractives were to varying degrees thermally unstable at a temperature of about 200°C, and the melting temperature occurred at about 54°C.     

Improvement mechanism of bondability in UF-bonded reed and wheat straw boards by silane coupling agent and extraction treatments

The effects of silane coupling agents and extractives on the wettability of reed and wheat straws were investigated. The inherent wettability of these materials was low but could be significantly improved by treating with silane coupling agents. The degree of improvement achieved by each silane coupling agent was different: Vinyl silane had almost no effect on wettability, epoxide silane was found to be more effective for reed straw, and amino silane was better for wheat straw. The wettability of these materials could also be improved by ethanol-benzene extraction, which resulted in more improvement in wheat straw than reed straw. The analyses of untreated reed and wheat straws by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) revealed that there was much silicon on both the outer and inner surfaces of the former but only on the outer surface of the latter. The influence of hot-water extractives and silane coupling agents on the gelation time and pH of urea formaldehyde (UF) resin was also examined. The addition of extractives was found to increase the gelation time. Amino silane greatly retarded the gelation of OF resin, whereas epoxide and vinyl silanes had no influence on resin gelation. This retardation was found to be due to an increase in the pH of the resin.     

Effects of silane coupling agent level and extraction treatment on the properties of UF-bonded reed and wheat straw particleboards

Urea formaldehyde resin bonded reed and wheat particleboards with a density of 0.7g/cm³ were manufactured from two types of particle: fine and coarse particles. The effects of the silane coupling agent (SCA) level and ethanol-benzene (EB) treatment on the board properties were examined. For SCA, epoxide silane (SiEP) and amino silane (SiNH) were used for reed and wheat particles, respectively. The results are summarized as follows. (1) For both reed and wheat boards, the internal bond (IB) strength and thickness swelling (TS) were significantly improved at up to 5% SCA content, but the effectiveness of treatment kept constant at above 5%. (2) The level of SCA had little effect on the bending strength, especially for the boards composed of coarse particles. (3) EB treatment upgraded both the IB and TS of wheat board significantly. (4) SiEP incorporation improved the IB and TS of reed board significantly, whereas EB treatment was more effective for wheat board. (5) The dimensional stability of both reed and wheat boards under varying humidity could be improved by increasing the level of SCA and by EB treatment. EB treatment was more effective than SCA addition.     

Structural changes of residual lignin in softwood kraft pulp treated with manganese peroxidase

Structural changes of residual lignin in unbleached softwood kraft pulp (SWKP) during manganese peroxidase (MnP) treatment were investigated to obtain some understanding of the biobleaching action of SWKP with MnP treatment. Alkaline-extracted lignin from darkened SWKP by MnP showed more intense color and contained moreo-quinone than that from control SWKP. However, no difference in the conjugated-carbonyl was observed between the lignins from MnP-treated and control SWKP. The nitrobenzene oxidation analysis revealed that oxidative condensation of non-condensed lignin in SWKP occurs during an early stage of MnP treatment. These observations were supported by the model experiment in which the lignin prepared from control SWKP was subjected to MnP treatments three times, and the changes of color and functional groups in the lignin were determined after each treatment. These results suggested that an increase ino-quinone and the condensation reaction of non-condensed lignin in SWKP are responsible for the characteristic darkening of SWKP during MnP treatment. It was also ascertained that darkened lignin was degraded and brightened by repeated MnP treatments.     

The influence of the ethanol pumping of wheat straw and of the beating of pulp on the resulting paper sheets

This paper reports on the influence of independent variables in the pulping of wheat straw (viz. cooking temperature and time, and ethanol concentration), and of the number of PFI beating revolutions to which the pulp is subjected, on the yield and Shopper-Riegler index of the pulp, and on the breaking length, stretch, burst index and tear index of the resulting paper sheets. By using a central composite factor design and the BMDP software suite, equations that relate each dependent variable to the different independent variables were obtained that reproduce the experimental results for the dependent variables with errors less than 25% at temperatures, times, ethanol concentrations and numbers of PFI beating revolutions in the ranges 140–180°C, 60–120 min, 40–80% and 0–1750, respectively. Ensuring the optimal Shopper-Riegler index for the pulp (73.18°SR), and also the optimal breaking length (6276 m), stretch (2.57%) and burst index (3.72 kN/g) for the papers sheets, entails using a high temperature (180°C), a large number of PFI beating revolutions (1750) and medium-to-high ethanol concentration and time values; these conditions, however, decrease the tear index for the paper sheets below the optimum level (4.60 mNm²/g). A high temperature and a large number of PFI beating revolutions, in conjunction with a low ethanol concentration (60%) and a short time (60 min), can be used to save solvent and increase the production; the values thus obtained for the dependent variables differ by less than 30% from their optimum levels in the worst case.