0000000000116172
AUTHOR
Hanna Brännström
Applicability of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.) bark extract as a precursor of rigid carbon foam and activated carbon
Hybrid aspens have long attracted scientific interest, but the research on their use as feedstocks for chemical applications are still very limited. The bark biomass of the poplar species contains many valuable extractives that can be utilized as value-added products. This paper examines the applicability of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.) bark extract as a precursor of rigid carbon foam and activated carbon. To explore this, the study considers 1) the basic chemical composition of the bark in terms of added value potential, 2) the basic chemical composition of the bark extract and the effect of its pretreatment on the extract composition, 3) the production of rigi…
The effect of thermal drying on the contents of condensed tannins and stilbenes in Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) sawmill bark
Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) bark contains marked amounts of polyphenolic compounds. Condensed tannins (CTs) and stilbenes show commercial potential as antioxidants, antimicrobials, preservatives in food and cosmetic applications, technochemical products, and pharmaceuticals. Storing of bark before the conversion process leads to substantial losses of extractives compounds. In the present study, the potential of thermal drying for maintaining extractives content was assessed based on an experiment in which bark samples were dried in convection kilns at 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C temperatures. The development of CTs and stilbene contents and CT degradation were followed for 28–34 h. CT…
Effect of Seasonal Storage on Single-Stem Bark Extractives of Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
Increasing the net value of forestry side-streams has both ecological as well as economic benefits for emerging biorefining industries. Spruce bark represents one of the nature’s abundant sources of valuable extractives. In this study, the impact of storage on the quality and quantity of Norway spruce (Picea abies) extractives was examined as a function of storage time, environmental conditions and season (i.e., winter or summer). The bark from stored spruce saw logs was extracted with an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) at 120 °C with hexane and water. The produced extracts were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and…
From Norway Spruce Bark to Carbon Foams : Characterization, and Applications
Fresh bark from spruce Picea abies was milled and extracted with hot water. The extracts were purified in a number of steps in order to get tannin-extracts pure enough to prepare tannin-based carbon foams. The chemical composition of the extracts were analyzed. The foams were maturated and thermally treated to obtain desired properties, such as specific surface area, porosity, and compressive strength. It was possible to produce carbon foams even if they contained carbohydrate impurities. Differences in the properties of the carbon foams such as compressive strength, specific surface areas, and pore size distributions might be related to the compositions of the extracts. The foams were fina…
Inspired by nature: Fiber networks functionalized with tannic acid and condensed tannin-rich extracts of Norway spruce bark show antimicrobial efficacy
This study demonstrated the antibacterial and antiviral potential of condensed tannins and tannic acid when incorporated into fiber networks tested for functional material purposes. Condensed tannins were extracted from industrial bark of Norway spruce by using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), followed by purification of extracts by using XADHP7 treatment to obtain sugar-free extract. The chemical composition of the extracts was analyzed by using HPLC, GC‒MS and UHPLC after thiolytic degradation. The test matrices, i.e., lignocellulosic handsheets, were produced and impregnated with tannin-rich extracts, and tannic acid was used as a commercial reference. The antibacterial and antiv…