A novel process for obtaining high quality cellulose acetate from green landscaping waste. (1st March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cao, Leichang; Luo, Gang; Tsang, Daniel C.W.; Chen, Huihui; Zhang, Shicheng; Chen, Jianmin
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 176(2018)
• Page Start: 338
• Page End: 347
• Publication Date: 2018-03-01
• Subjects: Green waste -- Cellulose acetate -- Acid pretreatment -- Biomass conversion -- Xylose and arabinose -- Biorefinery; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.077
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: As a typical lignocellulosic biomass, abundant amount of green landscaping waste can be used as low-cost feedstock to produce value-added chemicals. This work developed a novel process to obtain industrially important cellulose acetate from green landscaping waste after separation of hemicellulose as a substrate rich in monomeric xylose. Sixteen samples of selected green waste were pretreated with diluted acid at moderate temperatures. Afterwards, the residues were treated with acetic anhydride and a small amount of sulfuric acid as catalyst to make cellulose acetate. The quantity and quality of cellulose acetate were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 1 H NMR), and Gel Chromatography (GPC). The activation mechanisms of the diluted-phosphoric-acid pretreatment on yields and quality of cellulose acetate were also investigated using Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Without the pretreatment, the yields of cellulose acetate from green landscaping waste ranged from 4.0% to 8.6%. After the pretreatment the mean yield of cellulose acetate from all sixteen green waste significantly increased to approximately 35%, illustrating the high efficiency and wide applicability of our proposed method. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Sixteen selected green landscaping wastes were used to produce cellulose acetate. Cellulose acetate was obtained with a DS value of 2.84 and yield of 45.6%. Diluted acid pretreatment obviously improve the yields and quality of CA. Considerable amount of xylose was obtained as additional product. Acid pretreatment rendered cellulose more accessible to acylation reagent.