Properties Characterization of Chemically Modified Hemp Hurds

Nadezda Stevulova; Julia Cigasova; Adriana Estokova; Eva Terpakova; Anton Geffert; Frantisek Kacik; Eva Singovszka; Marian Holub

doi:10.3390/ma7128131

Properties Characterization of Chemically Modified Hemp Hurds

Materials (Basel). 2014 Dec 17;7(12):8131-8150. doi: 10.3390/ma7128131.

Authors

Nadezda Stevulova¹, Julia Cigasova², Adriana Estokova³, Eva Terpakova⁴, Anton Geffert⁵, Frantisek Kacik⁶, Eva Singovszka⁷, Marian Holub⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Material Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Kosice 042 00, Slovakia. nadezda.stevulova@tuke.sk.
² Department of Material Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Kosice 042 00, Slovakia. julia.cigasova@tuke.sk.
³ Department of Material Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Kosice 042 00, Slovakia. adriana.estokova@tuke.sk.
⁴ Department of Material Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Kosice 042 00, Slovakia. eva.terpakova@tuke.sk.
⁵ Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 2117/24, Zvolen 960 53; Slovakia. geffert@tuzvo.sk.
⁶ Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 2117/24, Zvolen 960 53; Slovakia. kacik@tuzvo.sk.
⁷ Department of Material Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Kosice 042 00, Slovakia. eva.singovszka@tuke.sk.
⁸ Department of Material Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Kosice 042 00, Slovakia. marian.holub@tuke.sk.

Abstract

The effect of chemical treatment of hemp hurds slices in three solutions (EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), NaOH and Ca(OH)₂) on the properties of natural material was discussed in this paper. Changes in the morphology, chemical composition and structure as well as thermal stability of hemp hurds before and after their modification were investigated by using FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray powder diffraction analysis) and TG (thermogravimetry)/DSC (differential scanning calorimetry). Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) measurements were used for determination of degree of cellulose polymerization of hemp hurd samples. Chemical modification is related to the partial removal of non-cellulosic components of lignin, hemicellulose and pectin as well as waxes from the surface of hemp hurd slices. Another effect of the chemical treatment applied is connected with increasing the crystallinity index of cellulose determined by FTIR and XRD methods. Decrease in degree of cellulose polymerization and polydispersity index in chemically modified hemp hurds compared to the original sample was observed. Increase in thermal stability of treated hemp hurd was found. The most significant changes were observed in alkaline treated hemp hurds by NaOH.

Keywords: FTIR; SEC; TG/DSC; XRD; chemical modification; hemp hurds.