Throughout the world 10 million tons of wood are used every year for paper-making, cellulose preparations, tobacco filters, cloth and dietary supplements. Wood is mainly composed of polysaccharides and lignin which are hydrophilic and hydrophobic respectively. This book describes the academic approaches to native bonds between lignin and the carbohhydrates in wood and other plants. The roles of lignin-carbohydrates complexes are discussed for practical use and wood processing. The authors describe the close relationship between lignin-carbohydrate complexes and biobleaching of kraft pulp, and the residual lignin in kraft pulp and their contribution to benzylated wood foaming. In addition they introduce the artificial lignin-carbohydrate bond formation and an enzymic degradation of lignin-carbohydrate bonds.

Biomass is a widely available resource, that can be characterized by its high production potential. Enabling the production of different types of biofuels, biomass can be used in both spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines. There is extensive knowledge of the biofuel production process, and technologies enabling the production of biofuels with high caloric value and better physicochemical properties are developed. The biggest barrier in the development of a biofuels market is not the lack of know-how, but economic and political aspects. Biomass for Biofuels presents technological aspects of biomass conversion into advanced biofuels. Also discussed are the influence of growing biofuels markets on the natural environment and social relations as well as economic aspects of acquisition of biomass and its processing into biofuels. In addition biomass characteristics are presented. A definition is provided, and its chemical composition and properties detailed. The focus is on lignocellulosic biomass, whose complex structure is a limiting factor for biofuels production via biological processes. For that reason, echanical, chemical and physicochemical methods that enable an increased availability for the microorganisms used for biomass conversion to biofuels are discussed.

Hemicelluloses and Lignin in Biorefineries provides an understanding of lignocellulosic biomass, which is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. It promotes the valorization of these molecules in the context of the bioeconomy and presents hemicelluloses and lignin, which are generated in lignocellulosic biorefineries, as the molecules of the future. The viability of these molecules lies in their renewability and potential. This book covers all aspects of hemicelluloses and lignin including structure, biosynthesis, extraction, biodegradation, and conversion. The book also looks ahead to the socioeconomic and environmental value of biobased industry and emphasizes an understanding of the potential of lignocellulosic biomass.

This book provides in-depth coverage on the latest concepts, systems, and technologies that are being utilized in biorefineries for the production of biofuels and value-added commodities. Written by internationally recognized experts, the book provides a comprehensive overview of pretreatment technology for biorefineries and biofuels, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation technology for biofuel production, and lignin valorization for developing new products from waste lignin. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers and professionals working in process engineering, product engineering, material science, and systems and synthetic biology in the fields of biorefining, biofuel, biomaterials, environmental waste utilization, and biotechnology.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to "green" or environmentally friendly polymer composites developed using renewable polymers of natural origin such as starch, lignin, cellulose acetate, poly-lactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxylalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxylbutyrate (PHB), etc., and the development of modern technologies for preparing green composites with various applications. The book also discusses major applications of green polymer composites in industries such as medicine, biotechnology, fine chemicals and engineering.

The search for better strategies to preserve foods with minimal changes during processing has been of great interest in recent decades. Traditionally, edible films and coatings have been used as a partial barrier to moisture, oxygen, and carbon dioxide through selective permeability to gases, as well as improving mechanical handling properties. The advances in this area have been breathtaking, and in fact their implementation in the industry is already a reality. Even so, there are still new developments in various fields and from various perspectives worth reporting. Edible Films and Coatings: Fundamentals and Applications discusses the newest generation of edible films and coatings that are being especially designed to allow the incorporation and/or controlled release of specific additives by means of nanoencapsulation, layer-by-layer assembly, and other promising technologies. Covering the latest novelties in research conducted in the field of edible packaging, it considers state-of-the-art innovations in coatings and films; novel applications, particularly in the design of gourmet foods; new advances in the incorporation of bioactive compounds; and potential applications in agronomy, an as yet little explored area, which could provide considerable advances in the preservation and quality of foods in the field.

Lignin, an aromatic biopolymer found in plant cell walls, is a key component of lignocellulosic biomass and generally utilized for heat and power. However, lignin’s chemical composition makes it an attractive source for biological and catalytic conversion to fuels and chemicals. Bringing together experts from biology, catalysis, engineering, analytical chemistry, and techno-economic/life-cycle analysis, Lignin Valorization presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary picture of how lignocellulosic biorefineries could potentially employ lignin valorization technologies. Chapters will specifically focus on the production of fuels and chemicals from lignin and topics covered include (i) methods for isolating lignin in the context of the lignocellulosic biorefinery, (ii) thermal, chemo-catalytic, and biological methods for lignin depolymerization, (iii) chemo-catalytic and biological methods for upgrading lignin, (iv) characterization of lignin, and (v) techno-economic and life-cycle analysis of integrated processes to utilize lignin in an integrated biorefinery. The book provides the latest breakthroughs and challenges in upgrading lignin to fuels and chemicals for graduate students and researchers in academia, governmental laboratories, and industry interested in biomass conversion.

Written with a diverse audience in mind, this book describes the current status, development, and future prospects for the critical technology of second-generation biorefineries, specifically with a focus on lignocellulosic materials as feedstock. It provides an overview of the issues behind this technological transition, and it provides, in depth,

Biopolymeric Nanomaterials: Fundamentals and Applications outlines the fundamental design concepts and emerging applications of biopolymeric nanomaterials. The book also provides information on emerging applications of biopolymeric nanomaterials, including in biomedicine, manufacturing and water purification, as well as assessing their physical, chemical and biological properties. This is an important reference source for materials scientists, engineers and biomedical scientists who are seeking to increase their understanding of how polymeric nanomaterials are being used for a range of biomedical and industrial applications. Biopolymeric nanomaterials refer to biocompatible nanomaterials, consisting of biopolymers, such as protein (silk, collagen, gelatin, ß-casein, zein, and albumin), protein-mimicked polypeptides and polysaccharides (chitosan, alginate, pullulan, starch, and heparin). Biopolymeric nanomaterials may be used as i) delivery systems for bioactive compounds in food application, (ii) for delivery of therapeutic molecules (drugs and genes), or for (iii) tissue engineering. Provides information on the design concepts and synthesis of biopolymeric nanomaterials in biomedical and industrial applications Highlights the major properties and processing methods for biopolymeric nanomaterials Assesses the major challenges of producing biopolymeric nanomaterials on an industrial scale

This book provides an overview of eco-friendly resins and their composite materials covering their synthesis, sources, structures and properties for different industrial applications to support the ongoing research and development in eco-friendly and renewable commercial products. It provides comparative discussions on the properties of eco-friendly resins with other polymer composites. It is a useful reference on bio-based eco-friendly polymer resins, wood-based composites, natural fibers and biomass materials for the polymer scientists, engineers and material scientists.