Investigating the role of mechanics in lignocellulosic biomass degradation during hydrolysis: Part II.

Lignocellulose breakdown in biorefineries is facilitated by enzymes and physical forces. Enzymes degrade and solubilize accessible lignocellulosic polymers, primarily on fiber surfaces, and make fibers physically weaker. Meanwhile physical forces acting during mechanical agitation induce tearing and cause rupture and attrition of the fibers, leading to liquefaction, that is, a less viscous hydrolysate that can be further processed in industrial settings.

How much water can wood cell walls hold? A triangulation approach to determine the maximum cell wall moisture content.

Wood is a porous, hygroscopic material with engineering properties that depend significantly on the amount of water (moisture) in the material. Water in wood can be present in both cell walls and the porous void-structure of the material, but it is only water in cell walls that affects the engineering properties. An important characteristic of wood is therefore the capacity for water of its solid cell walls, i.

On sorption hysteresis in wood: Separating hysteresis in cell wall water and capillary water in the full moisture range.

Moisture influences most physical wood properties and plays an important role in degradation processes. Like most other porous materials, wood exhibits sorption hysteresis. That is, the moisture content is higher if equilibrium is reached by desorption than if it is reached by absorption under the same ambient climate conditions.

Investigating the role of mechanics in lignocellulosic biomass degradation during hydrolysis.

Enzymes and mechanics play major roles in lignocellulosic biomass deconstruction in biorefineries by catalyzing chemical cleavage or inducing physical breakdown of biomass, respectively. At industrially relevant substrate concentrations mechanical agitation is also a driving force for mass transfer as well as agglomeration of elongated biomass particles. Contrary to the physically induced particle attrition, which typically facilitates feedstock handling, particle agglomeration tends to hinder mass transfer and in the worst case induces processing difficulties like pipe blockage.