Thermo characteristics of steam-exploded bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) lignin

Bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) internode was subjected to steam explosion treatment to produce an excellent fiber for binderless boards. Lignin was isolated from extract-free bamboo meal with Björkman’s procedure and steam-exploded pulp. The self binding-mechanism was discussed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermo-gravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and analytical ozonation. It is well-known that steam explosion treatment liberates lignin from the cell wall to the fiber surface, which is the most important component relevant to binderless board production. Results of TG and DSC analyses showed that steam-exploded bamboo pulp started mass loss at lower temperature compared to bamboo internode meal. The thermal softening temperature of lignin prepared from steam-exploded pulp was much lower than that of lignin prepared from extract-free bamboo meal. This suggests that intermonomer linkages of lignin, especially β-aryl-ether linkage which is the major intermonomer linkage of lignin, were cleaved during steam explosion treatment resulting in low molecular weight phenolic compounds. The cleavage of β-aryl-ether intermonomer linkage of lignin was also confirmed by ozonation analysis.