Meltblown Lyocell.

Weyerhaeuser Company's melt blowing method for lyocell fibers manufactures cotton-like fibers that have a natural crimp and low luster and are resistant to fibrillation under wet abrasion conditions. An extruder with multiple spinnerets extrudes filaments into a turbulent high velocity air stream, where an air gap draws them into a regene..

Utilising the Potential of Wood Fibre.

Wood fibers exhibit excellent strength properties, but can have structural defects that reduce their strength bearing capacity after processing. An introduction to the morphology of wood fibers and the potential for improving the mechanical properties of paper products addresses microfibrillar structure, polymer ultrastructural arrangemen..

Non-Desirable Carbohydrate Reactions in Pulping and Bleaching.

An overview of the structure of carbohydrate derived reactive structures in bleached and unbleached chemical (kraft) pulp fibers states that carbohydrate structures contribute to the kappa number and color of unbleached kraft pulps. A large portion of the nonlignin related kappa number originates from hexenuronic acid formed through elimi..

Plastification of Cellulosic Wastes.

Cellulose cannot be thermally processed because it degrades at temperatures lower than its melting point. Chemical modification of hydroxyl groups results in thermoplasticity by reducing polymer interaction. Benzylation increases the processability of some lignocellulosic wastes. Experiments showed that benzylation increased the decomposi..

Products of Lignin Modification: Promising Adsorbents of Toxic Substances.

Lignin provides a matrix for alkylammonium cations. Bonds are stable in aqueous and aqueous basic media in the presence of flow molecular weight electrolytes. A study to develop efficient lignin sorbents for aqueous media applications evaluated the interactions of water insoluble lignins (kraft and hydrolysis lignins) with oppositely char..

Hydrolysed Lignin. Structure and Perspectives of Transformation into Low Molecular Products.

The wood hydrolysis industry in Russia generates a large amount of waste. A novel alkali dissolution reaction degrades hydrolyzed lignin into acetone soluble, acetone insoluble, and water soluble substances. Future research will address the molecular structures of the reaction products. 8 refs.

Formation and Characterization of Transformed Woody Plants Inhibiting Lignin Biosynthesis.

Part of ongoing study to reduce the lignin content in aspen trees by isolating the lignin biosynthesis genes via antisense RNA methods focused on peroxidase genes from the hybrid aspen (Populus kitakiemensis). The transgenic poplars had lower total peroxidase activity than that of the control. Peroxidase isozyme analysis established that ..

Environmental Impacts of Different Cotton Growing Regimes.

Cotton cultivation requires large amounts of agrochemicals and irrigation. A comparison of cotton cultivation practices uses environmental indicators to analyze Texas High Plains cotton cultivation methods and uses life cycle assessment to compare different irrigation practices. The Texas High Plain cotton growing area consists of 1.4-1.6..

Classing of Fiber.

Classification of cotton fiber samples estimates the quality of cotton in a bale. Classers assign color grade, leaf grade, and extraneous matter content based on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classification standards. High volume instrument analysis of bale samples provides information on fiber conditioning, length, stren..

Ability of Indigenous Yeasts from Aerial Plant Surfaces to Degrade Sugars from Insect Honeydew.

Researchers characterized the ability of yeast populations on cotton surfaces and other plants in the San Joaquin Valley, California, to utilize honeydew sugars. Tests for growth on sucrose, glucose, fructose, melezitose, trehalulose, and cellobiose of yeast strains collected in the field revealed that up to 250 yeast strains degraded all..