Javier Fernández-Rodríguez

Production of cellulose nanoparticles from blue agave waste treated with environmentally friendly processes

Tequila elaboration leaves two main byproducts that are undervalued (bagasse and leaves). Organosolv pulping and Total Chlorine Free bleaching were integrated to obtain cellulose fibers from agricultural waste which consisted of blue agave bagasse and leaf fibers; together they represent a green process which valorizes biomass waste. The obtained celluloses were characterized by FT-IR, colorimetry, and SEM and their extraction yields were evaluated. These celluloses were used to produce cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibers. First, an acid hydrolysis was performed in a sonication bath to induce cavitation during the reaction to produce cellulose nanocrystals. Then a high-pressure homogenization was selected to produce cellulose nanofibers. These nanocelluloses were characterized by powder XRD, Nanosizer, zeta potential, NMR, and electronic microscopy. Results showed that cellulose from organosolv pulps bleached with TCF bleaching is suitable for nanocellulose production. Moreover, the use of a new step to separate cellulose nanocrystals resulted in yields almost doubling traditional yields, while the rest of the properties remained within the expected.

Energetic assessment of lignin extraction processes by simulation

Abstract The energetic requirements of several processes for high-purity lignin production from lignocellulosic waste streams has been studied in this work, based on simulation analysis performed with experimental data. The introduced variables were: two different raw materials (almond shell and olive tree pruning), the use of a pre-treatment stage and the application of two different sulphur-free delignification methods (organosolv and soda processes) with their subsequently lignin precipitation steps. In total, four scenarios were approached and assessed in terms of desirable product yields, water and chemical consumptions and energetic duties. Results showed a more efficient process when almond shell was used as raw material. In terms of the delignification process, organosolv method required a much lower quantity of chemicals due to the recycle and recirculation of the solvent (ethanol). The energy consumption associated to this recycle implied an increase of 18-12 % in the total energy consumption. On the other hand, lignin product yield was higher with soda process although its chemical consumption was found to be much higher, in terms of soda and sulfuric acid requirements.

Dataset on cellulose nanoparticles from blue agave bagasse and blue agave leaves

These data and analyses support the research article “Production of cellulose nanoparticles from blue agave waste treated with environmentally friendly processes” Robles et al. [1]. The data and analyses presented here include fitted curves for selected carbons of the 13C CP-MAS NMR analysis; SEM images of the raw and bleached fibers, graphics with chemical composition and visual images of the fibers throughout the process.

Catalytic Cascade Transformations of Biomass into Polyols

Among the many oxygen-rich chemicals that can be obtained from biomass, polyols, such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, are widely used in industry. Liquid polyols have been used in polyurethane foam preparation and as components of adhesives. Hydrolysis, coupled with hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis allows transformation of biomass or its constituents into polyols. Liquefaction is another approach which is efficient for converting biomass into liquid polyols that have high content of reactive hydroxyl groups.