title: Improvement of straw surface characteristics via thermomechanical and chemical treatments.
abstract: This study focused on effects of thermomechanical treatment, acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw fibre on its water resistant. Xylose and arabinose yields were 19.97% and 2.55%, respectively with thermomechanical treatment, 24.35% and 3.18% with acid hydrolysis, and 20.11% and 2.73% with enzymatic hydrolysis. The acid treatment dissolved hemicellulose significantly, leading to more fines and more voids in the surface of the rice straw fibre. The fines showed a higher water retention value (WRV) of 137.41% and exhibited higher swelling capacity. An increase in acid loading resulted in the increased WRV. The enzymatic hydrolysis increased the crystallinity of cellulose, but no significant correlation could be found between the chemical component and the water resistance of the rice straw fibre.
authors.affiliation: College of Wood Science and Technology, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China. panmingzhu@yahoo.cn
authors.forename: Mingzhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Dingguo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lian
mesh_terms: D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013499:Surface Properties