The present invention provides a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: fractionating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin and water, but no acid catalyst, to generate cellulose-rich solids; and then mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form a nanocellulose material comprising cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals. Many organic or inorganic solvents are possible. In some embodiments, the solvent for lignin is an oxygenated organic compound, such as a C.sub.1-C.sub.18 alcohol, e.g. ethanol, ethylene glycol, propanol, propanediol, glycerol, butanol, or butanediol. The solvent for lignin may be an aromatic alcohol, such as phenol, cresol, or benzyl alcohol. The solvent for lignin may be a ketone, an aldehyde, or an ether, such as methyl ethyl ketone or diethyl ether. The solvent for lignin may be a non-oxygenated alkane, olefin, or aromatic hydrocarbon. In some embodiments, the solvent for lignin is an ionic liquid.

This disclosure pertains to the use of black liquors from kraft pulp mills as a source of catalysts for the thermochemical conversion of organic matter feedstocks to bio oils. More particularly, some embodiments pertain to integrated kraft pulp mill and thermochemical conversion systems, which include: a Kraft pulp mill comprising a digester for digesting a lignocellulosic material with white liquor to produce pulp and black liquors; a thermochemical conversion subsystem comprising: at least one mixing tank for combining pulping liquors received from the pulp mill with an organic matter feedstock and water to produce a reaction mixture; a reactor vessel for treating the reaction mixture received from the mixing tank at a reaction temperature and pressure suitable for conversion of all or a portion of the organic matter in the reaction mixture into a product mixture comprising a bioproduct and an aqueous stream containing both organic and inorganic compounds; and a depressurizer for depressurizing product mixture received from the reactor vessel; and one or more conveyors for conveying the pulping liquors from the pulp mill to the mixing tank.

This disclosure pertains to the use of black liquors from kraft pulp mills as a source of catalysts for the thermochemical conversion of organic matter feedstocks to bio oils. More particularly, some embodiments pertain to integrated kraft pulp mill and thermochemical conversion systems, which include: a Kraft pulp mill comprising a digester for digesting a lignocellulosic material with white liquor to produce pulp and black liquors; a thermochemical conversion subsystem comprising: at least one mixing tank for combining pulping liquors received from the pulp mill with an organic matter feedstock and water to produce a reaction mixture; a reactor vessel for treating the reaction mixture received from the mixing tank at a reaction temperature and pressure suitable for conversion of all or a portion of the organic matter in the reaction mixture into a product mixture comprising a bioproduct and an aqueous stream containing both organic and inorganic compounds; and a depressurizer for depressurizing product mixture received from the reactor vessel; and one or more conveyors for conveying the pulping liquors from the pulp mill to the mixing tank.

Provided are compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

The present invention provides for a method to deconstruct a biomass comprising: (a) introducing one or more individual components of an ionic liquid (IL) or deep eutectic solvent (DES) to a biomass, wherein the one or more individual components, and optionally any components already present in the biomass, form an IL or DES, or mixture thereof, which solubilizes the biomass to form a solubilized biomass mixture, wherein at least one individual component is introduced to the biomass separately from any other individual component; (b) optionally introducing an enzyme and/or a microbe to the solubilized biomass mixture such that the enzyme and/or microbe produces a sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture; and, (c) optionally separating the sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture.

The present invention provides for a method to deconstruct a biomass comprising: (a) introducing one or more individual components of an ionic liquid (IL) or deep eutectic solvent (DES) to a biomass, wherein the one or more individual components, and optionally any components already present in the biomass, form an IL or DES, or mixture thereof, which solubilizes the biomass to form a solubilized biomass mixture, wherein at least one individual component is introduced to the biomass separately from any other individual component; (b) optionally introducing an enzyme and/or a microbe to the solubilized biomass mixture such that the enzyme and/or microbe produces a sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture; and, (c) optionally separating the sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture.

Some variations provide a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock comprising a bleached or unbleached pulp material; fractionating the feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals, thereby generating a nanocellulose material. The process is preferably co-located with, or adjacent to, a mill that generates the pulp material. There are several advantages of a bolt-on AVAP® nanocellulose plant to an existing pulp mill, as disclosed herein.

Some variations provide a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock comprising a bleached or unbleached pulp material; fractionating the feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals, thereby generating a nanocellulose material. The process is preferably co-located with, or adjacent to, a mill that generates the pulp material. There are several advantages of a bolt-on AVAP® nanocellulose plant to an existing pulp mill, as disclosed herein.

Methods and systems of the present invention use mixed textile feedstock, which may include post-consumer waste garments, scrap fabric and/or other textile materials as a raw feed material to produce isolated cellulose and other isolated molecules having desirable properties that can be used and be used in the textile and apparel industries, and in other industries. A multi-stage process is provided, in which mixed textile feed material is subjected to one or more pretreatment stages, followed by at least two pulping treatments for isolating cellulose molecules and other molecular constituents, such as polyester. The isolated cellulose and polyester molecules may be used in a variety of downstream applications. In one application, isolated cellulose and polyester molecules are extruded to provide regenerated cellulose fibers and regenerated polyester fibers having desirable (and selectable) properties that are usable in various industrial applications, including textile production.

Methods and systems of the present invention use mixed textile feedstock, which may include post-consumer waste garments, scrap fabric and/or other textile materials as a raw feed material to produce isolated cellulose and other isolated molecules having desirable properties that can be used and be used in the textile and apparel industries, and in other industries. A multi-stage process is provided, in which mixed textile feed material is subjected to one or more pretreatment stages, followed by at least two pulping treatments for isolating cellulose molecules and other molecular constituents, such as polyester. The isolated cellulose and polyester molecules may be used in a variety of downstream applications. In one application, isolated cellulose and polyester molecules are extruded to provide regenerated cellulose fibers and regenerated polyester fibers having desirable (and selectable) properties that are usable in various industrial applications, including textile production.