Bioinspired composites from cross-linked galactoglucomannan and microfibrillated cellulose: Thermal, mechanical and oxygen barrier properties.

In this study, new wood-inspired films were developed from microfibrillated cellulose and galactoglucomannan-lignin networks isolated from chemothermomechanical pulping side streams and cross-linked using laccase enzymes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that cross-linked galactoglucomannan-lignin networks have been used for the potential development of composite films inspired by woody-cell wall formation. Their capability as polymeric matrices was assessed based on thermal, structural, mechanical and oxygen permeability analyses.

Extraction of water-soluble hemicelluloses from barley husks.

Heat treatment of barley husks was performed to extract arabinoxylan with high yield and high weight-averaged molecular mass (M(W)). Microwave irradiation was employed for initial screening of suitable residence times (2-15 min), temperatures (120-210 degrees C) and initial pH (3-13) of the reaction slurry. Microwave irradiation was shown to be a good method for predicting the effects of heat treatment on a larger scale using steam pretreatment.