Vena P.F., García-Aparicio M.P., Brienzo M., Görgens J.F., Rypstra T.
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Department of Forest and Wood Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Vena, P.F., Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa; García-Aparicio, M.P., Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Brienzo, M., Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Görgens, J.F., Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Rypstra, T., Department of Forest and Wood Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag Matieland XI, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa
The extraction of hemicelluloses, which otherwise would be wasted in the black liquor, can be integrated with chemical pulping processes in a biorefinery approach that will generate a sugar-rich feedstock for production of fuels and chemicals. Extractions of hemicelluloses from sugarcane bagasse under dilute sulphuric acid or mild alkaline conditions were performed, using a central composite experimental design. Selected solid residues obtained after dilute acid, hot water (zero acid) or mild alkaline pre-extractions were subjected to soda or soda-AQ pulping, and kraft pulping of the dilute acid pre-extracted solid residue was also performed. The integration of hemicelluloses preextraction by alkaline methods into a soda-AQ-based pulping process was preferred for sugarcane bagasse as feedstock, since it enabled xylan recovery of 69.1%, while providing pulps with superior tear strength and brightness.