The development of the bioeconomy requires maximizing the use of available natural resources, among which cellulose (mostly in the form of cellulose fibers) stand out as the most abundant bio-based material on Earth. Those fibers, derived from plant cell walls, offer a sustainable alternative to non-sustainable synthetic materials, aligning perfectly with the principles of the bioeconomy.
New properties of cellulose fibers to reduce environmental pollution
Cellulose fibers possess a unique combination of properties that make them ideal for a variety of applications. However, their potential use is limited by some of those intrinsic properties, such as their affinity for water or strong fiber-fiber bonding. Overcoming these limitations requires altering the nature of the cellulose fibers (often a superficial change is sufficient), which is achieved through what is known as “functionalization treatments”.
Through chemical or enzymatic reactions, they can provide fibers with new properties, like water resistance or ability to be broken down into cellulose nanofibers with very low energy consumption. Current procedures, however, use hazardous chemicals and require large amounts of water, generating toxic effluents in the process.
Based on that need, the REDYSIGN project is researching innovative approaches to treat fibers in a “high-consistency regime”, i.e., with very little water in the reaction medium and, therefore, with a minimal number of effluents generated, following procedures that could be applied in an industrial scale.
Promising results: Unlocking a greener future with resource-efficient cellulose techniques
The results obtained so far are promising, with water amounts as low as 10 L/kg of fiber (vs current 200-400L/kg), while there is a large margin for further reduction. Additionally, the efficiency of the reaction has increased several times, allowing also for a reduction in chemical dosage. Pure resource-efficiency.
The implications of these advancements are profound. As mentioned before, the development of the bioeconomy relies heavily on the effective utilization of natural resources. Through this kind of innovative treatments conceived with a focus on sustainability, projects like REDYSIGN are unlocking the full potential of the most abundant organic polymer on Earth, cellulose, driving progress towards a greener and more sustainable world.
Article in collaboration with Álvaro Tejado, Project Coordinator of REDYSIGN and Lead Researcher at Tecnalia Research and Innovation.
