Separation and characterization of cellulose fibers from cypress wood treated with ionic liquid prior to laccase treatment

Separation of cellulose fibers (CFs) from woody biomass with minimal structural alteration using a “green” and efficient method was achieved by treatment with the ionic liquid (IL), [emim][OAc] (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate) at 80 °C for 1 h. The IL was recovered by rinsing with water–acetone mixture prior to treatment of the wood with Trametes sp. laccase in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as a mediator. IL pretreatment did not significantly change the chemical composition of the wood, but did alter its structure and rendered its surface more accessible to the enzyme. Treated and untreated samples were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA, and chemical methods. The cellulose content of the produced fibers was approximately 73.1% and the lignin content was 9.8%, much lower than the lignin content of 29.3% of the untreated wood. The cellulose fibers exhibited higher cellulose crystallinity and better thermal stability compared to untreated wood materials.