Wet pressing of sugarcane bagasse submitted to different treatments: evolution of porosity and effects of composition

• Grant number: 11/14746-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date until: March 01, 2012
• End date until: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Aprigio da Silva Curvelo
• Grantee: Marcelo Miranda de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project proposes to investigate the compression of wet cellulosic materials derived from sugarcane bagasse. First, bagasse will be submitted to hydrothermal treatments, alkali delignifications, and acid hydrolysis. The resulting materials will vary in their cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin contents, as well as in cellulose degree of degradation. Each treated bagasse will be kept wet after treatments and will be compressed in a dedicated cell, which allows the outflow of water extracted by applied pressure. Compression tests will be done with varying applied pressures. Materials porosity will be characterized by thermoporometry with differential scanning calorimetry and by evaporation with simultaneous calorimetry-gravimetry. The evolution of porosity will be analyzed as a function of applied pressures, treatment parameters, and chemical compositions of treated bagasses. Hence, this project integrates structural, mechanical, process and compositional information from cellulosic materials, allowing inferences on the variables that determine wet compressibility. In addition to the scientific purpose, pressing of wet cellulosic materials has a technological perspective. Sugarcane bagasse is an abundant and available renewable feedstock, which requires low-cost conversion routes for its better use. Wet pressing may reduce process costs because it allows reactions with higher solid concentration.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

OLIVEIRA, MARCELO M.; DRIEMEIER, CARLOS; CURVELO, ANTONIO A. S.. Changes in Nanoscale Porosity by Wet Pressing Pulps from Sugarcane Bagasse. BIORESOURCES, v. 10, n. 4, p. 8518-8527, NOV 2015. (11/14746-9)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

OLIVEIRA, Marcelo Miranda de. Analysis of nanometric porosity of lignocellulosic materials derived from bagasse sugarcane and submitted to wet pressing. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD) São Carlos.