Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value

Hemicellulose is one of the main components of biomass, though often overlooked in technical applications. Its valorization depends on the properties of this natural carbohydrate polymer, which are defined by the type of biomass, and structural changes occurring during extraction processes. In this...

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Main Authors: Rui Xu, Nataliia Doskaliuk, Bo Pang, Jiayun Xu, Wenyang Xu, Chunlin Xu, Markus Antonietti, Svitlana Filonenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666893925001811
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author Rui Xu
Nataliia Doskaliuk
Bo Pang
Jiayun Xu
Wenyang Xu
Chunlin Xu
Markus Antonietti
Svitlana Filonenko
author_facet Rui Xu
Nataliia Doskaliuk
Bo Pang
Jiayun Xu
Wenyang Xu
Chunlin Xu
Markus Antonietti
Svitlana Filonenko
author_sort Rui Xu
collection DOAJ
description Hemicellulose is one of the main components of biomass, though often overlooked in technical applications. Its valorization depends on the properties of this natural carbohydrate polymer, which are defined by the type of biomass, and structural changes occurring during extraction processes. In this study, hemicellulose was extracted from various plant species using mild alkaline treatment, allowing to obtain polymers with close to their natural structure while differ from traditional descriptions of common commercially available xylans. Namely, lignin bonded to the carbohydrate and native degree of acetylation allows for amphiphilic properties of hemicelluloses. The surface activity and self-organization behaviour upon drying are though influenced mostly by the polymer molecular weight and branching. Hemicelluloses exhibit perforated lamellae structure at 10 min extraction times, whereas extraction exceeding 100 min results in hemicelluloses with lower surface activity. As extraction time increased, the molecular weight of hemicellulose decreased from 10⁴ to 10³ g/mol, accompanied by a reduction in the polydispersity index and a shift of the diffraction maximum to lower angles by 1.0° to 1.4°, indicating an increase in packing density. The consistency was supported by multidimensional characterization, demonstrating that isolating hemicellulose through mild extraction can modify its properties for applications in surfactants and adhesives.
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spelling doaj-art-e3b70cc749e5404ea54afa1cba97d99d2025-08-20T02:39:35ZengElsevierCarbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications2666-89392025-06-011010084310.1016/j.carpta.2025.100843Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential valueRui Xu0Nataliia Doskaliuk1Bo Pang2Jiayun Xu3Wenyang Xu4Chunlin Xu5Markus Antonietti6Svitlana Filonenko7Max Planck Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, GermanyMax Planck Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, GermanyMax Planck Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, GermanyLaboratory of Natural Materials Technology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500 Turku, FinlandLaboratory of Natural Materials Technology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500 Turku, FinlandLaboratory of Natural Materials Technology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Henrikinkatu 2, 20500 Turku, FinlandMax Planck Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, GermanyMax Planck Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; Corresponding author.Hemicellulose is one of the main components of biomass, though often overlooked in technical applications. Its valorization depends on the properties of this natural carbohydrate polymer, which are defined by the type of biomass, and structural changes occurring during extraction processes. In this study, hemicellulose was extracted from various plant species using mild alkaline treatment, allowing to obtain polymers with close to their natural structure while differ from traditional descriptions of common commercially available xylans. Namely, lignin bonded to the carbohydrate and native degree of acetylation allows for amphiphilic properties of hemicelluloses. The surface activity and self-organization behaviour upon drying are though influenced mostly by the polymer molecular weight and branching. Hemicelluloses exhibit perforated lamellae structure at 10 min extraction times, whereas extraction exceeding 100 min results in hemicelluloses with lower surface activity. As extraction time increased, the molecular weight of hemicellulose decreased from 10⁴ to 10³ g/mol, accompanied by a reduction in the polydispersity index and a shift of the diffraction maximum to lower angles by 1.0° to 1.4°, indicating an increase in packing density. The consistency was supported by multidimensional characterization, demonstrating that isolating hemicellulose through mild extraction can modify its properties for applications in surfactants and adhesives.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666893925001811HemicelluloseExtractionLignocelluloseBiopolymersBiorefinery
spellingShingle Rui Xu
Nataliia Doskaliuk
Bo Pang
Jiayun Xu
Wenyang Xu
Chunlin Xu
Markus Antonietti
Svitlana Filonenko
Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications
Hemicellulose
Extraction
Lignocellulose
Biopolymers
Biorefinery
title Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
title_full Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
title_fullStr Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
title_full_unstemmed Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
title_short Hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass: Revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
title_sort hemicellulose from mild extraction of biomass revealing structural insights and advancing potential value
topic Hemicellulose
Extraction
Lignocellulose
Biopolymers
Biorefinery
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666893925001811
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