Fabrication of regenerated cellulose fibers using phosphoric acid plus hydrogen peroxide treated wheat straw in DMAc/LiCl solvent system

Abstract

Abstract Regenerated cellulose fibers (RCFs) are widely used biodegradable and eco-friendly materials made from woody biomass to replace synthetic fibers. This work explored the feasibility of fabricating RCFs using phosphoric acid plus hydrogen peroxide (PHP) treated wheat straw in N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMAc/LiCl) solvent system. The effect of upstream pretreatment conditions on the obtained cellulose-enriched fraction (CEF), the solubility of CEF in DMAc/LiCl, the RCFs’ mechanical properties, and the interfacial interaction of residual lignin were systematically studied. CEF could be completely dissolved in DMAc/LiCl, and its wet-spun RCFs own tensile strength of 184 MPa, the toughness of 25 MJ/m3, and it demonstrated remarkable wet-strength (84 MPa), wet-toughness (11 MJ/m3), and dyeing properties. The existence of residual lignin negatively affected its mechanical properties but would enhance its resistance to water infiltration. The present work provides a new approach for producing RCFs from woody biomass.