A pulping method includes chemical cooking of softwood chips to retain a high lignin content of about 18% to about 28% by weight and fiberization of the cooked softwood chips to a low residual wood shive content of at most 15% by weight.

The invention relates to a method for treating biomass (2). Biomass (2) is fed to a pressurized prehydrolysis reactor unit (8) by means of a feeding system (5, 7), wherein by means of the feeding system (5, 7) the biomass (2) is compressed. A filtrate is squeezed out of the biomass (2) by means of the feeding system (5, 7), in particular by a first plug screw (5) or a second plug screw (7) of the feeding system (5, 7). The biomass (2) is then thermally treated in the pressurized prehydrolysis reactor unit (8), discharged from the pressurized prehydrolysis reactor unit (8) afterwards, diluted with the filtrate before or after the discharge, and treated with an enzyme subsequently.

The invention relates to a method for treating biomass (2). Biomass (2) is fed to a pressurized prehydrolysis reactor unit (8) by means of a feeding system (5, 7), wherein by means of the feeding system (5, 7) the biomass (2) is compressed. A filtrate is squeezed out of the biomass (2) by means of the feeding system (5, 7), in particular by a first plug screw (5) or a second plug screw (7) of the feeding system (5, 7). The biomass (2) is then thermally treated in the pressurized prehydrolysis reactor unit (8), discharged from the pressurized prehydrolysis reactor unit (8) afterwards, diluted with the filtrate before or after the discharge, and treated with an enzyme subsequently.

Disclosed are non-wood pulps having a fiber length greater than about 1.70 mm and a brightness of about 80% or greater. The relatively high degree of brightness is achieved without a loss fiber length or pulp yield. The high degree of brightness and relatively long fiber length makes the pulps well suited for the manufacture of wet-laid fibrous products, particularly wet-laid tissue products. The pulps may be prepared from plants of the family Asparagaceae by mechanical pulping and more preferably by a chemi-mechanical pulping using a sodium hydroxide alkaline peroxide solution where the primary pulp is cleaned to reduce debris prior to bleaching. Preferably the cleaned primary pulp has less than about 5% debris prior to bleaching.

Disclosed are non-wood pulps having a fiber length greater than about 1.70 mm and a brightness of about 80% or greater. The relatively high degree of brightness is achieved without a loss fiber length or pulp yield. The high degree of brightness and relatively long fiber length makes the pulps well suited for the manufacture of wet-laid fibrous products, particularly wet-laid tissue products. The pulps may be prepared from plants of the family Asparagaceae by mechanical pulping and more preferably by a chemi-mechanical pulping using a sodium hydroxide alkaline peroxide solution where the primary pulp is cleaned to reduce debris prior to bleaching. Preferably the cleaned primary pulp has less than about 5% debris prior to bleaching.

A method may comprise creating a mixture comprising a raw material and a liquid, wherein the raw material comprises at least a portion of at least one of hemp, cannabis, and marijuana; separating a solid component of the mixture from a liquid component of the mixture; and/or drying the solid component to create an HCM sheet.

A method may comprise creating a mixture comprising a raw material and a liquid, wherein the raw material comprises at least a portion of at least one of hemp, cannabis, and marijuana; separating a solid component of the mixture from a liquid component of the mixture; and/or drying the solid component to create an HCM sheet.

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.

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 relates to a method of preparing grafted copolymers of lignin and/or cellulose, comprising the generation of macroradicals in situ by mechanical impact on the backbone of said lignin and/or cellulose of said lignin and/or cellulose containing material and grafting monomers and/or polymers to said backbone. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the grafted copolymers obtainable by said method, composite materials comprising said copolymers as well as to uses thereof.