A comprehensive process for treating lignocellulosic biomass in order to separate the biomass into its component parts, the process comprising: a) contacting the lignocellulosic biomass with a first solvent for a period of time and at a first temperature at a severity in the range of about 2 to about 4 to remove extractive components and a portion of ash from the biomass; b) contacting the biomass from step (a) with a second solvent, and optional catalyst, at a second temperature at a severity in the range of about 1 to 5 to remove hemicelluloses and additional ash from the biomass; and c) separating the biomass from step (b) into a lignin product and a cellulose product by contacting the biomass from step (b) with a third solvent at a severity in the range of about 1.5 to 5 to provide a spent liquor product and a solid fraction containing cellulose.

A method for creating a fiber includes obtaining constituent natural fiber components by breaking down at least one of fresh natural fibers, fibers extracted after post-industrial use, fibers extracted after post-consumer use, and combinations thereof. The constituent natural fiber components comprise at least one material selected from a group consisting of cellulose, pectin, hemicellulose, lignin, and wax. The method includes separating the constituent natural fiber components into N natural fiber precursors, where N is an integer greater than one; creating a mixture of the N natural fiber precursors using a predetermined ratio of the N natural fiber precursors; and creating at least one of fiber and yarn using the mixture.

A method for creating a fiber includes obtaining constituent natural fiber components by breaking down at least one of fresh natural fibers, fibers extracted after post-industrial use, fibers extracted after post-consumer use, and combinations thereof. The constituent natural fiber components comprise at least one material selected from a group consisting of cellulose, pectin, hemicellulose, lignin, and wax. The method includes separating the constituent natural fiber components into N natural fiber precursors, where N is an integer greater than one; creating a mixture of the N natural fiber precursors using a predetermined ratio of the N natural fiber precursors; and creating at least one of fiber and yarn using the mixture.

The method of fabricating biocompatible cellulose nanofibrils produces cellulose nanofibrils from used agro-waste Borassus flabellifer leaf stalks. The method uses a three-step process, including alkali treatment, bleaching, and acid hydrolysis to produce cellulose nanofibrils, which may be converted to pellets for storage. The pellets may be converted to a transparent film for cell attachment by dispersion in water and heating in a hot air oven. Testing shows that cellulose nanofibrils made by the method easily attract human mesenchymal stem cells and will be applicable for skin tissue engineering applications.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to materials and methods for producing a wide range of raw materials from plant biomass. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides materials and methods for efficient decortication of plant biomass using a thermally regulated process to generate reactive oxygen species in the presence of a catalyst. Embodiments of the present disclosure address the need for improved methods with which to obtain a wide range of raw materials from plant biomass without the need for industrial decortication machines and without producing harmful industrial waste.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to materials and methods for producing a wide range of raw materials from plant biomass. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides materials and methods for efficient decortication of plant biomass using a thermally regulated process to generate reactive oxygen species in the presence of a catalyst. Embodiments of the present disclosure address the need for improved methods with which to obtain a wide range of raw materials from plant biomass without the need for industrial decortication machines and without producing harmful industrial waste.

The invention relates to methods for providing crimped bast fibers which may include providing an input of bast fibers, adjusting the moisture content of the bast fibers to be in the range of about 10% to about 40% by weight to form a fiber mat, and contacting the fiber mat with a pair of heated crimping rolls to provide crimped bast fibers having a crimp of about 1 to about 10 crimps per centimeter. The invention further provides for a nonwoven fabric comprising at least 5% of the crimped bast fibers. The crimping of the bast fibers in these nonwoven fabrics is beneficial to forming a drylaid, airlaid or wetlaid nonwoven fabric that has desirable properties related to performance in a variety of nonwoven product applications.

The invention relates to methods for providing crimped bast fibers which may include providing an input of bast fibers, adjusting the moisture content of the bast fibers to be in the range of about 10% to about 40% by weight to form a fiber mat, and contacting the fiber mat with a pair of heated crimping rolls to provide crimped bast fibers having a crimp of about 1 to about 10 crimps per centimeter. The invention further provides for a nonwoven fabric comprising at least 5% of the crimped bast fibers. The crimping of the bast fibers in these nonwoven fabrics is beneficial to forming a drylaid, airlaid or wetlaid nonwoven fabric that has desirable properties related to performance in a variety of nonwoven product applications.

A method and system for the production of fibers for use in biocomposites is provided that includes the ability to use both retted and unretted straw, that keeps the molecular structure of the fibers intact by subjecting the fibers to minimal stress, that maximizes the fiber's aspect ratio, that maximizes the strength of the fibers, and that minimizes time and energy inputs, along with maintaining the fibers in good condition for bonding to the polymer(s) used with the fibers to form the biocomposite material. This consequently increases the functionality of the biocomposites produced (i.e. reinforcement, sound absorption, light weight, heat capacity, etc.), increasing their marketability. Additionally, as the disclosed method does not damage the fibers, oilseed flax straw, as well as all types of fibrous materials (i.e. fiber flax, banana, jute, industrial hemp, sisal, coir) etc., can be processed in bio composite materials.

Provided herein are nanofibres including self-assembled cellular components derived from a homogenized plant tissue. Methods for preparing such nanofibres, as well as uses thereof in the treatment or prevention of diseases or disorders in a subject and/or as delivery vehicles are also described.