Enzymatic pretreatment of eucalyptus pulp to produce cellulose nanofibers and biobutanol in an integrated biorefinery

Abstract

In the present study, the production of cellulose nanofibers and biobutanol from bleached eucalyptus Kraft pulp by enzymatic pretreatment was investigated. The combination of enzymatic and mechanical pretreatment yielded cellulose nanofibers with diameters in the range of 3-10 nm, constituting a potential strategy for nanocellulose isolation from bleached eucalyptus Kraft pulp. Physicochemical characterization showed high quality nanobiomaterial obtained for further potential applications.