Functional Modification of Xylan-Rich Hemicelluloses in Ionic Liquid

Abstract

Xylan-rich Hemicelluloses (XH) isolated from wheat straw were converted to functional biopolymers by modification using succinic anhydride (SA) as reactant without catalyst in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl) ionic liquid. The reaction was performed under various conditions such as different temperatures, different times, and the different amounts of SA, and the effect of reaction factors on the degree substitution (DS) of products were discussed. The product had the maximum DS of 1.80. The structure of modified hemicellulosic derivatives (MD) was actually confirmed by13C NMR spectroscopy. The thermal behavior of MD was monitored by means of thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), and the thermal stability of MD was lower than XH.