This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Producing textile fibers from wood involves extracting cellulose from a structure that is tougher and more resistant than that of grass. But what if grass offered an easier—and potentially more environmentally friendly—alternative?
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have produced dissolving pulp from grass and clover residues. Working with collaborators, they have also spun the pulp into fibers and knitted a small fabric sample. The results open up new possibilities for turning agricultural residues into valuable materials.
When protein is extracted from grass and clover, a fiber-rich residue known as press cake remains. It contains cellulose, the same substance used to produce textile fibers from wood. "The cellulose is the same whether it comes from a tree or from grass.
The difference is how easily we can extract it," says Diana Bernin, associate professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers. Together with postdoctoral researcher Leandro Cid Gomes, she has investigated how the cellulose in press cake can be put to use. He is also the lead author of the paper presenting their findings: Green Biorefinery Side Stream as a Source of Chlorophyll Pigments, Lignin, and Cellulose for Textile Fibers.
The paper is published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. Trees are built to withstand the elements for many years. This also makes their cellulose more difficult to extract.
In grass, the cellulose fibers are more accessible. "We can use simpler chemistry and smaller amounts of chemicals to extract the fibers. This also saves energy," says Bernin.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
