The Effect of Chemical Pre-treatment of Industrial Waste of Licorice Root on its Pulp Structural Properties in Bio- Refinery Concept

In this study, the liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been extracted in the Liquorice factory of Kerman, supplied as raw material. The above mentioned waste, after pre-hydrolyzed with sulfuric acid 2% at 130 °C in 60 minutes, is cooked at temperatures of 170 ̊C, the chemicals charge of 20%, and in four times 15, 30, 60 and 90 minutes and rate of liquor to waste 7:1 in Soda process. Obtained Soda pulps were evaluated in yield, lignin percentage, water retention value (WRV), viscosity and crystallinity. Results showed that by prolonging of cooking time, pulp yield and lignin percentage were decreased and WRV increased. Also, pulp viscosity in 30, 45 min was increased by increasing in cooking time that according to other results, it seems that it is false viscosity. In addition, accordance with characterizing of samples by XRD, by progressive cooking time from 15 to 45 min, sample crystallinity decreased and in 60 min its value is increased. According to the pulps viscosity and downward trend of lignin removal with progressive cooking time, this addition can be due to crystallization of hemicellulose like xylan on the crystalline zone of cellulose chain. Therefore, according to the results and based on Bio-refinery concept, cooking time 30 min suggested as the best option for production of high value-added products in saccharification process.