University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - Research portal
Gewählte Master / Diploma Thesis:
Patrick Geiger
(2020):
Chemical and mechanical analysis of Danubian Myriophyllum spicatum.
Master / Diploma Thesis - Institut für Chemie nachwachsender Rohstoffe,
BOKU-Universität für Bodenkultur,
pp 54.
UB BOKU
obvsg
FullText
- Abstract:
- Myriophyllum spicatum is a highly invasive and fast-growing aquatic plant with a growth capacity of 20 tons per year and hectare (Vienna, Austria) and a circumpolar distribution. Up to now, the biomass produced is only composted. The main motivation behind this master thesis is to investigate the potential material utilization and creation of added-value of M. spicatum. First, the macromolecular components of M. spicatum were determined. The holocellulose content, for example, which comprises cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin, was quite high at 44%. Furthermore, the plant contains 11% of lignin - a rare characteristic for aquatic plants. A pulping process for M. spicatum was developed to generate pulp for consumer applications. Paper made from this pulp without any additives had a tensile strength of over 63 MPa. These results are comparable to the reference, a softwood kraft pulp. In addition, an addition of 40% of this reference pulp increased the tensile strength of the material to 70 MPa and also improved toughness, suggesting a synergistic effect of the two materials. In addition, the biomass was investigated for its methane yield in biogas production. It was possible to generate 161 l of methane from one kilogram of dry biomass - a promising result comparable to typical yields of garden waste. In summary, the results of the master thesis show a large, unused potential of M. spicatum for use as a consumable, e.g. as an alternative to packaging materials containing wood or plastic, and for energy production. The exploitation of this potential of this inexpensive and almost ubiquitously growing biomass should now be started using modern biorefinery concepts.
- Beurteilende(r): Rosenau Thomas
- 1.Mitwirkender: Beaumont Marco