• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.101-117
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• 2024

The conversion characteristics of the major components of Liriodendron tulipifera were investigated during acid-catalyzed organosolv pretreatment. Glucan in L. tulipifera was slowly hydrolyzed, whereas xylan was rapidly hydrolyzed. Simultaneous hydrolysis and degradation of xylan and lignin occurred; however, after complete hydrolysis of xylan at higher temperatures, lignin remained and was not completely degraded or solubilized. These conversion characteristics influence the structural properties of glucan in L. tulipifera. Critical hydrolysis of the crystalline regions in glucan occurred along with rapid hydrolysis of the amorphous regions in xylan and lignin. Breakdown of internal lignin and xylan bonds, along with solubilization of lignin, causes destruction of the lignin-carbohydrate complex. Over a temperature of 160℃, the lignin that remained was coalesced, migrated, and re-deposited on the surface of pretreated solid residue, resulting in a drastic increase in the number and content of lignin droplets. From the results, the characteristic conversions of each constituent and the changes in the structural properties in L. tulipifera effectively improved enzymatic hydrolysis in the range of 140℃-150℃. Therefore, it can be concluded that significant changes in the biomass recalcitrance of L. tulipifera occurred during organosolv pretreatment.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1999

Enzyme-aided bleaching of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps by a xylanase preparation from an alkalophilic fungus Cephalospotium sp. RYM-202 was studied. Maximal solubilization of Pulp xylan was obtained at 5$0^{\circ}C$ in both kraft pulps. The optimum pH of the enzyme for the hydrolysis of pulp xylan was 8.0 and more than 90% of the maximal activity was detected at 9.0. The positive effects of xylanase pretreatment on bleachability of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps were observed. The kappa number of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps was decreased by 3.7 and 2.0 units, respectively. The pulp fibre integrity was not significantly affected by xylanase pretreatment when the physical properties of handsheets made from xylanase-treated pulps were compared with those of handsheets from untreated pulps. These results indicate that the alkaline xylanase of Cephalospotium sp. RYM-202 is well suitable for application in enzymatic prebleaching of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps under the alkaline conditions.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.414-422
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• 2022

The objective of this work was to investigate the feasibility of acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation for maximum solubilization of the hemicellulosic portion of two typical agricultural residues. The fractionation conditions converted into combined reaction severity (CS) in the range of 1.2-2.9 was used to establish a simple reaction criteria at glance. The hemicellulosic sugar yield of 56.6% was shown when rice straw was fractionated at the conditions at the conditions; 160 ℃ of temperature 0.75% (w/v) of H₂SO₄, 20 min of reaction time, 1:15 solid/liquid ratio. The hemicellulosic sugar yield of 83.0%, however, was achieved when barley straw was fractionated at the conditions at the conditions; 150 ℃ of temperature 0.75% (w/v) of H₂SO₄, and 15 min of reaction time, 1:10 solid/liquid ratio. For barley straw, acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation could be effectively performed. After the fractionation process, the remaining fractionated solids were 48.5% and 57.5% from raw rice and barley straws, respectively. The XMG contents in the solid residues decreased from 17.3% and 17.6% to 6.0% and 2.6%, which corresponded to 16.7% and 8.5% on the basis of the raw straws, respectively. In another way, only 5.6% of cellulose and 8.5% of XMG were lost due to excessive decomposition during the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation of barley straw, compared to cellulose and XMG losses of 6.4% and 26.6% in rice straw. Hemicellulosic sugars from the rice straw were considered more over-decomposed due to the somewhat higher reaction severity at the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal fractionation.