Sugarcane bagasse xylan acetylation and its effect on biofilm formation

• Grant number: 20/09193-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2020
• End date: September 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Michel Brienzo
• Grantee: Júlia de Paula Castanheira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia (IPBEN). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/22401-8 - Fruit-refinery: obtention processes, characterization methods and generation of products derived from residues of the fruitculture, AP.TEM

Abstract

The environment has suffered a significant impact that refers to the extraction of natural resources and the generation of waste, due to the great population growth and consumption habits. An example of this is the production and disposal of plastic materials, which mostly come from oil, which accumulate for a considerable time in the environment and negatively impact the flora, fauna and the entire biota of the environment. In addition to plastics, other wastes of significant availability that can result in environmental impacts are agro-industrial wastes. Agro-industrial waste has the potential to replace petroleum products in the production of plastic packaging, giving rise to a biodegradable film and from renewable sources. Hemicellulose has been extensively studied in such production, however, the generated film presents hydrophilicity, due to the hydroxyl groups present in the molecule. The present project aims to evaluate conditions of acetylation (concentration of catalyst and reaction time), as well as to analyze the effects of such process on the properties of the generated film. Acetylation will be evaluated as an effect of hydrophobicity and mechanical strength of the film formed in combination with starch. This project is inserted in the context of a Thematic Project (2017 / 22401-8) and will serve as a model for several other biomasses.