There is described a method of fractionating a biomass material comprising: (i) blending the biomass material with an acid catalyst to form a slurry; (ii) mixing the slurry with an organosolv reagent optionally under an inert atmosphere to form a pre-treatment mix; (iii) subjecting the pre-treatment mix to sonication; (iv) optionally heating the product of step (iii) in an autoclave under pressure; (v) separating the solid and liquid components of the fractionation mix; (vi) optionally washing the solid; (vii) optionally drying the solid component; (viii) separating the liquid component into organic and aqueous components; and (ix) isolating lignin from the organic component and/or isolating hemi-cellulose from the aqueous component.

There is described a method of fractionating a biomass material comprising: (i) blending the biomass material with an acid catalyst to form a slurry; (ii) mixing the slurry with an organosolv reagent optionally under an inert atmosphere to form a pre-treatment mix; (iii) subjecting the pre-treatment mix to sonication; (iv) optionally heating the product of step (iii) in an autoclave under pressure; (v) separating the solid and liquid components of the fractionation mix; (vi) optionally washing the solid; (vii) optionally drying the solid component; (viii) separating the liquid component into organic and aqueous components; and (ix) isolating lignin from the organic component and/or isolating hemi-cellulose from the aqueous component.

A low-cost process is provided to render lignocellulosic biomass accessible to cellulase enzymes, to produce fermentable sugars. Some variations provide a process to produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass (such as sugarcane bagasse or corn stover), comprising introducing a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock to a single-stage digestor; exposing the feedstock to a reaction solution comprising steam or liquid hot water within the digestor, to solubilize the hemicellulose in a liquid phase and to provide a cellulose-rich solid phase; refining the cellulose-rich solid phase, together with the liquid phase, in a mechanical refiner, thereby providing a mixture of refined cellulose-rich solids and the liquid phase; enzymatically hydrolyzing the mixture in a hydrolysis reactor with cellulase enzymes, to generate fermentable sugars; and fermenting the fermentable sugars to produce ethanol. Many alternative process configurations are described. The disclosed processes may be employed for other fermentation products.

A low-cost process is provided to render lignocellulosic biomass accessible to cellulase enzymes, to produce fermentable sugars. Some variations provide a process to produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass (such as sugarcane bagasse or corn stover), comprising introducing a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock to a single-stage digestor; exposing the feedstock to a reaction solution comprising steam or liquid hot water within the digestor, to solubilize the hemicellulose in a liquid phase and to provide a cellulose-rich solid phase; refining the cellulose-rich solid phase, together with the liquid phase, in a mechanical refiner, thereby providing a mixture of refined cellulose-rich solids and the liquid phase; enzymatically hydrolyzing the mixture in a hydrolysis reactor with cellulase enzymes, to generate fermentable sugars; and fermenting the fermentable sugars to produce ethanol. Many alternative process configurations are described. The disclosed processes may be employed for other fermentation products.

An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.

An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.

A method for producing a modified cellulosic material is provided including treating a lignocellulosic material with an acid and/or an alkali and then a polyol. Also provided are methods of producing a paper-based product and a cellulose derivative from said modified cellulosic material. A modified cellulosic material, a paper-based product and a cellulose derivative produced by such methods are also provided. Also provided is an apparatus for producing a modified cellulosic material, such as by the aforementioned method.

Various processes are disclosed for producing nanocellulose materials following steam extraction or hot-water digestion of biomass. Processes are also disclosed for producing nanocellulose materials from a wide variety of starting pulps or pretreated biomass feedstocks. The nanocellulose materials may be used as rheology modifiers in many applications. Water-based and oil-based drilling fluid formulations and additives are provided. Also, water-based and oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations and additives are provided. In other embodiments, polymer-nanocellulose composites are provided.

An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.

An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.