Xylan (arabinoglucuronoxylan, AGX) from Norwegian spruce was isolated with high purity and a good yield (7% wt from original wood). Characterization of AGX with size exclusion chromatography, sugar analysis by ionic chromatography, and NMR was performed. It was found that AGX had a Mw of 12780 Da and that the ratio arabinose:glucuronic acid:xylose was 1:2:11 as determined both by NMR and Dionex. Films were casted in petri dishes from aqueous solution. Transparent and flexible films were obtained which show superior mechanical properties, i.e. tensile strength 55MPa, strain at rupture 2.7% and Young's Modulus 2735 MPa. Sorbitol was added as plasticizer at 5, 25 and 25 wt %. The strength of films decreased when the plasticizer was added in more than 5%, but the strain at rupture was increased. Dynamic mechanical analysis in humidity scans (DMA) showed that storage modulus decreased with relative humidity and sorbitol content. Oxygen permeability of pure AGX films was 0.12 cm3 �m m-2 d-1 kPa-1. Bleaching of AGX with hydrogen peroxide in ethanol resulted in clearer films. Succinylation of AGX was performed and the solubility in water was decreased. Succinylated AGX forms films that are more flexible than AGX films.

Extraction of xylan from spruce and preparation of oxygen barrier films

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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