Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications (Dec 2021)

A selective cellulose/hemicellulose green solvents extraction from buckwheat chaff

  • Daniela Caputo,
  • Caterina Fusco,
  • Angelo Nacci,
  • Gerardo Palazzo,
  • Sergio Murgia,
  • Lucia D'Accolti,
  • Luigi Gentile

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2
p. 100094

Abstract

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A two-phase extraction process was adopted to obtain cellulose and hemicellulose from buckwheat chaff by using green solvents. We are proposing a combination of propylene carbonate (PC) and ionic liquids (ILs) in a 1:5 ratio. We compared the first-generation ILs 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride (BdmimCl), and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate (BmimAc) with respect to the tetrabutyl ammonium acetate (TBAAc). The cellulose and hemicellulose were, firstly, extracted into the PC/IL mixture and subsequently precipitated by water addition. All precipitate materials were analysed by FTIR-ATR and TGA, while the organic phase and the supernatant after water addition were analysed by using self-diffusion NMR. The PC green co-solvent was proven to be an exceptional candidate to replace dimethyl sulfoxide. The highest amount of precipitate material after water addition was obtained with PC-BmimAc, while PC-TBAAc was showing the highest cellulose/hemicellulose selectivity. Furthermore, a preferential interaction of the supernatant cellulose residue with PC or acetate was observed by self-diffusion NMR.

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