Defibrillated Lignocellulose Recovery Guided by Plant Chemistry and Anatomy – A Pioneering Study with Lupinus angustifolius

Abstract

The strive toward sustainability increases the demand for bio-based material production, forcing expansion of the biorefinery feedstock supply from forest wood to non-woody materials such as agricultural residues. As a model organism for legume crops, the aptness of agricultural lupins as a lignocellulose feedstock is investigated. Principle chemical analysis combined with optotracing, in which the fluorescent tracer molecule Carbotrace 680 generates a visual map of the native tissues’ lignocellulose anatomy at sub-cellular resolution, enables informed design of a mild recovery process. A streamlined conversion approach is then designed, yielding lignin-containing microfibrillated cellulose. By monitoring defibrillation and delignification throughout the extraction process, the use of optotracing for non-destructive fiber analytics at unprecedented details across all hierarchical structures of lignocellulosic materials is demonstrated. This crop valorization is a prime illustration of a holistic use of lupin biomass, with seeds serving as plant-based food sources, and other parts as sources for lignocellulose-based materials, thereby expanding both the biorefinery concept and feedstock supply.