To provide a degradation accelerator suitable for biodegradable resins and a method for producing the degradation accelerator. With the degradation accelerator, the biodegradation rate and biodegradability of biodegradable resins such as aliphatic polyester-based resins, aliphatic-aromatic polyester-based resins, and aliphatic oxycarboxylic acid-based resins can be increased and freely controlled. A degradation accelerator for biodegradable resins, the degradation accelerator comprising: cellulose; hemicellulose; and lignin, wherein the mass ratio of nitrogen to carbon in the degradation accelerator for biodegradable resins is 0.04 or more, and wherein the mass ratio of the content of the hemicellulose to the total content of the cellulose and the lignin is 0.2 or more.

A process for treatment of lignocellulosic biomasses with a process solvent selected from an eutectic solvent consisting of a hydrogen bond acceptor and of a hydrogen bond donor, an ionic liquid, and a mixture of the eutectic solvent and the ionic liquid, may include: A. mixing the biomasses with the process solvent and possibly separating insoluble cellulose residues and/or inorganic material; B. treating the possibly filtered process solvent solution from step A with water, thereby separating lignin; and C. separating hemicellulose from the mixture of the process solvent and possibly the water. Step C may be carried out by adding an organic solvent soluble in the process solvent and in the water, whereby hemicellulose precipitates and is subsequently separated with conventional techniques from a liquid phase comprising the process solvent, the organic solvent, and possibly the water.

A process for treatment of lignocellulosic biomasses with a process solvent selected from an eutectic solvent consisting of a hydrogen bond acceptor and of a hydrogen bond donor, an ionic liquid, and a mixture of the eutectic solvent and the ionic liquid, may include: A. mixing the biomasses with the process solvent and possibly separating insoluble cellulose residues and/or inorganic material; B. treating the possibly filtered process solvent solution from step A with water, thereby separating lignin; and C. separating hemicellulose from the mixture of the process solvent and possibly the water. Step C may be carried out by adding an organic solvent soluble in the process solvent and in the water, whereby hemicellulose precipitates and is subsequently separated with conventional techniques from a liquid phase comprising the process solvent, the organic solvent, and possibly the water.

A process for treatment of lignocellulosic biomasses with a process solvent selected from an eutectic solvent consisting of a hydrogen bond acceptor and of a hydrogen bond donor, an ionic liquid, and a mixture of the eutectic solvent and the ionic liquid, may include: A. mixing the biomasses with the process solvent and possibly separating insoluble cellulose residues and/or inorganic material; B. treating the possibly filtered process solvent solution from step A with water, thereby separating lignin; and C. separating hemicellulose from the mixture of the process solvent and possibly the water. Step C may be carried out by adding an organic solvent soluble in the process solvent and in the water, whereby hemicellulose precipitates and is subsequently separated with conventional techniques from a liquid phase comprising the process solvent, the organic solvent, and possibly the water.

The present invention relates to a paper or paperboard substrate having barrier properties, which substrate comprises a single or multiply structure with e.g. a top ply, a middle ply and a bottom ply, wherein at least one of said top ply and said bottom ply is provided with a high-density bio-barrier layer, and wherein said top or bottom ply provided with the high-density bio-barrier layer and said top or bottom ply not provided with the high-density bio-barrier layer have both been subjected to grafting with a fatty acid halide.

The present invention relates to a paper or paperboard substrate having barrier properties, which substrate comprises a single or multiply structure with e.g. a top ply, a middle ply and a bottom ply, wherein at least one of said top ply and said bottom ply is provided with a high-density bio-barrier layer, and wherein said top or bottom ply provided with the high-density bio-barrier layer and said top or bottom ply not provided with the high-density bio-barrier layer have both been subjected to grafting with a fatty acid halide.

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

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

Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity, hydrophobic cellulose. 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 depositing lignin onto cellulose fibers to produce lignin-coated cellulose materials (such as dissolving pulp). The crystallinity of the cellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. 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 hydrophobic cellulose to form completely renewable composites.

Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity, hydrophobic cellulose. 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 depositing lignin onto cellulose fibers to produce lignin-coated cellulose materials (such as dissolving pulp). The crystallinity of the cellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. 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 hydrophobic cellulose to form completely renewable composites.