ISOLATION OF CELLULOSE MICROFIBRILS – AN ENZYMATIC APPROACH

Isolation and application of cellulose nano-fibers and microfibrils are expanding rapidly due to their environmental benefits and specific strength properties, especially in bio-composite science. In this research work, we have successfully developed and explored a novel bio-pretreatment for wood fibre that can substantially improve the yield of the current mechanical process applied to isolate cellulose microfibrils. Microfibrils are isolated in the laboratory through a combination of high shear refining, and subsequent cryocrushing under the presence of liquid nitrogen but at the expense of high-energy and is hampering the current momentum in the direction of their isolation on a sizable scale for any potential application. Any attempt to loosen up the microfibrils by either complete or partial destruction of the hydrogen bonds before the mechanical process will be a step forward in the quest for economical isolation of cellulose microfibrils. Bleached Kraft spruce Pulp was treated with OS1, a fungus isolated from Dutch Elm tree infected with Dutch elm disease at different treatment conditions. Cellulose microfibrils were isolated from these treated fibers by high shear refining followed by cryocrushing. The % yield of cellulose microfibrils based on their diameter showed a significant shift towards a lower diameter range after the high shear refining compared to yield of cellulose microfibrils from untreated fibres. The overall yield of cellulose microfibrils from the treated fibres did not show any sizeable decrease.