A method for separating cellulose from a wood-based raw material including hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin as principal components, includes injecting the wood-based raw material into a dissolution reservoir in which ethylene glycol is stored as a separating agent, and heating the separating agent in the dissolution reservoir at atmospheric pressure to a temperature in a range of 260 C. to 280 C., and reacting the wood-based raw material with the separating agent, evaporating a hemicellulose component from the separating agent and condensing the hemicellulose component, and monitoring a pH value of the condensate of the hemicellulose component. A temperature of the condensate is held at the temperature at which a change in the pH value of the condensate decreases, lignin is dissolved in the separating agent, and crude cellulose that floats in the separating agent is separated and collected.

A process (1, 101, 201) for separating a fibrous target component (21) from textile waste (2, 5) is shown, said textile waste (2, 5) containing the target component (21) and at least one ancillary component (22), whereby the target component (21) consists of water-swellable textile fibers (51) with a density higher than the density of water, the process (1, 101, 201) comprising the steps: a) dispersing the comminuted textile waste (5) in an aqueous solution (7) to obtain a suspension (8) containing the textile waste (5), and b) separating the dispersed textile waste (5) into a high-density target fraction (81) comprising the target component (21), and a low-density residual fraction (82) comprising the at least one ancillary component (22), according to the respective density of said components (21, 22). In order to provide a reliable, fast process for the separation of water-swellable fibers from other textile fibers which are similar in density, it is proposed, that the aqueous solution (7) is an alkaline aqueous solution (7) and the target component fibers (51) are swelled in the alkaline aqueous solution (7) prior to step b), thereby increasing the density and weight of said target component (21) relative to the density and weight of the ancillary component (22).

A process (1, 101, 201) for separating a fibrous target component (21) from textile waste (2, 5) is shown, said textile waste (2, 5) containing the target component (21) and at least one ancillary component (22), whereby the target component (21) consists of water-swellable textile fibers (51) with a density higher than the density of water, the process (1, 101, 201) comprising the steps: a) dispersing the comminuted textile waste (5) in an aqueous solution (7) to obtain a suspension (8) containing the textile waste (5), and b) separating the dispersed textile waste (5) into a high-density target fraction (81) comprising the target component (21), and a low-density residual fraction (82) comprising the at least one ancillary component (22), according to the respective density of said components (21, 22). In order to provide a reliable, fast process for the separation of water-swellable fibers from other textile fibers which are similar in density, it is proposed, that the aqueous solution (7) is an alkaline aqueous solution (7) and the target component fibers (51) are swelled in the alkaline aqueous solution (7) prior to step b), thereby increasing the density and weight of said target component (21) relative to the density and weight of the ancillary component (22).

A two-step method for activating a cellulosic feedstock is described. The feedstock is subjected to a first high temperature activation step at a temperature greater than 190 C. and a second activation step at a lower temperature under alkali conditions. Also described are methods and compositions for the enzymatic hydrolysis of activated cellulose using one or more cellulase enzymes, a surfactant and polyaspartic acid. Also described are products of the methods.

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity nanocellulose with surprisingly low mechanical energy input. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with an acid (such as sulfur dioxide), a solvent (such as ethanol), and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form nanofibrils and/or nanocrystals. The crystallinity of the nanocellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. The nanocellulose material may include nanofibrillated cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose, or both. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose material is hydrophobic via deposition of some lignin onto the cellulose surface. Optionally, sugars derived from amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose may be separately fermented, such as to monomers for various polymers. These polymers may be combined with the nanocellulose to form completely renewable composites.

Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity nanocellulose with surprisingly low mechanical energy input. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with an acid (such as sulfur dioxide), a solvent (such as ethanol), and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form nanofibrils and/or nanocrystals. The crystallinity of the nanocellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. The nanocellulose material may include nanofibrillated cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose, or both. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose material is hydrophobic via deposition of some lignin onto the cellulose surface. Optionally, sugars derived from amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose may be separately fermented, such as to monomers for various polymers. These polymers may be combined with the nanocellulose to form completely renewable composites.

The present invention relates to treatment of dissolving pulp with a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase. The lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase treatment results in reduced viscosity and/or improved viscosity control in the dissolving pulp production process and/or 5 increased reactivity of the dissolving pulp.