Progress 06/04/04 to 06/03/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Enhancing value of fiber commodities, such as industrial fibers kenaf, flax, and cotton, through microbial and enzymatic activities. Design, develop, and test specific woven and non-woven materials for composites with specific properties and industrial applications. Specifically, 1) optimize retting methods for separating high and consistent quality fibers from both seed- and fiber-type flax cultivars, 2) develop standard methods and practices through established subcommittee D 13.17 of ASTM to objectively measure fiber properties, 3) through ARS-USDA, governmental, and industrial collaborations, design and produce woven and non-woven flax fiber products for construction of composites for specific industrial applications. Approach (from AD-416) Develop composites from flax fiber. Agricultural crops and products will be treated with microorganisms and enzymes that selectively remove fiber components and enhance value of products and processing methods. Treatments will be selected from available commercial enzymes and from newly isolated microorganisms and newly developed enzyme mixtures. Work will focus on improving retting procedures for obtaining fibers from bast plants such as kenaf and flax using enzyme mixtures containing pectinases, hemicellulases, and other non-cellulase enzymes that facilitate fiber separation from stems. Successful efforts at retting will be followed with research to scale up the process and work towards developing a commercial process for enzyme retting of bast fibers. Physical, chemical, and structural properties of treated fibers will be characterized by modern methods, and a body of knowledge will be developed to establish standards for evaluating fiber and fiber processing. New methods will be developed for rapid determination and evaluation of these standards. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This final progress report concludes the research project on flax fiber with an investigation of the degradation of composite materials prepared from flax fiber processing waste. The degradation rates of several composite formulations were measured in the laboratory to evaluate material performance for agricultural and environmental applications. The composites were exposed to simulated field conditions and analyzed by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. These data were used to produce a rate expression to describe the breakdown of composites made from flax. Research conducted over the past five years has resulted in the development of new flax products, co-products, quality standards, pilot plant processes, and enzyme retting procedures to support the production of flax. Biobased products developed from flax culminated with a series of composite materials prepared from flax fiber. These materials were prepared without solvent or catalyst using renewable glycerol-based polyesters. Flax co-products included lipids, phenolics, and cellulosics recovered from flax fiber processing waste. An environmentally benign process was devised to recover these co-products using hot ethanol for extraction followed by sequential fractionation. This technology was extended to lignocellulosic materials in general and integrated with biomass-to-ethanol conversion facilities. Quality standards were established for flax and accepted by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to evaluate commercial samples of flax fiber. The adoption of these methods promotes uniform grading and supports the flax market. A modular pilot plant was constructed specifically to process flax and produce clean flax fiber. The pilot plant was designed on large- scale commercial equipment and serves as both a research tool and small production facility. Retting procedures were developed for flax to facilitate the separation of the fiber from non-fiber components and provide a high quality product to compete with synthetic fibers. Additional details of these accomplishments are described in previous progress reports, numerous technical presentations, and fifteen journal articles. Project termed 06/03/2009; due to realignment of research this project will not continue.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Himmelsbach, D.S., Holser, R.A. 2009. Application of 2D Correlation Spectroscopy with MCR in the Preparation of Glycerol Polyesters. Vibrational Spectroscopy. 51(1):142-145 (2009).
- Holser, R.A., Willett, J.L., Vaughn, S.F. 2008. Thermal and physical characterization of glycerol polyesters. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy. 2(1):1-3.
- Holser, R.A., Akin, D.E. 2008. Extraction of Lipids from Flax Processing Waste Using Hot Ethanol. Industrial Crops and Products.
|
Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Enhancing value of fiber commodities, such as industrial fibers kenaf, flax, and cotton, through microbial and enzymatic activities. Design, develop, and test specific woven and non-woven materials for composites with specific properties and industrial applications. Specifically, 1) optimize retting methods for separating high and consistent quality fibers from both seed- and fiber-type flax cultivars, 2) develop standard methods and practices through established subcommittee D 13.17 of ASTM to objectively measure fiber properties, 3) through ARS-USDA, governmental, and industrial collaborations, design and produce woven and non-woven flax fiber products for construction of composites for specific industrial applications. Approach (from AD-416) Develop composites from flax fiber. Agricultural crops and products will be treated with microorganisms and enzymes that selectively remove fiber components and enhance value of products and processing methods. Treatments will be selected from available commercial enzymes and from newly isolated microorganisms and newly developed enzyme mixtures. Work will focus on improving retting procedures for obtaining fibers from bast plants such as kenaf and flax using enzyme mixtures containing pectinases, hemicellulases, and other non-cellulase enzymes that facilitate fiber separation from stems. Successful efforts at retting will be followed with research to scale up the process and work towards developing a commercial process for enzyme retting of bast fibers. Physical, chemical, and structural properties of treated fibers will be characterized by modern methods, and a body of knowledge will be developed to establish standards for evaluating fiber and fiber processing. New methods will be developed for rapid determination and evaluation of these standards. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Research on flax continued on testing optimal conditions for retting with specific pectinases that maintain strength and cleanliness. Specific protocols were established for order and conditions to optimize retting. New work was initiated on an enzyme, Inotex SER-3, with reported retting activity in the field and which would augment dew-retting in the field. Tests included: Frieds Test, free-hand cross sections, and laboratory and in-field large lots of fibers. Development of flax standards continued to include linseed shive and cuticle as contaminants and with prediction of bast fiber in intact plants. The prediction model for shive was tailored more to linseed cultivars (main ones in the US and Canada). Work was continued on new standards, dealing with cuticle fragments associated with fiber and bast fiber content. Work was begun on separating and evaluating wax from the plant cuticle for policosinol-like profiles. Work was continued on lipid and aromatic constituents of shive waste fractions for co-products. Preliminary work was carried out on extraction and determination of components, and the lignin-like fractions were identified and quantitated. Work continued on pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials for co-products from potential bioenergy sources. Corn fiber and a series of grasses pretreated with specific commercial esterases prior to incubation with cellulase and showed a significant increase in fermentable sugars and phenolic acids, which could serve as potential high-value co-products. Milling for finer particles further increased the release of sugars and aromatics. Subordinate Projects: Through SCA # 5-6612-3-0237 flax fibers as well as non-woven mats made with flax fiber and flax/cotton blends were tested with new software on the Instron for strength and thickness by ASTM and AATCC standard test methods. Mats were further evaluated for filtration uses This SCA ended this year. The final report was approved and budgetary information passed along to the Contracts Officer. Through another SCA # 5-6612-3-0238 additional samples of enzyme-retted and dew-retted flax were processed through both the Unified Line and secondary cleaning stages of the pilot plant at ARS-Clemson. Assessment was made of the fiber yield and quality from large scale retting trials and with samples from commercial operations in North America. Incubation vessels and spraying devices were further developed and tested. Results showed that clean, high quality fiber could be obtained from linseed straw by dew-retting and enzyme-retting and a commercial �tow� fiber could be upgraded for a clean fiber for higher-value composites. With enzyme retting developed to pilot plant level, strategies were outlined and discussed for future development of commercial systems. The project will end this fiscal year. Both SCAs were monitored the ADODR with frequent meetings and frequent phone calls. Frequent joint travel occurred to off-sites where flax was grown or processed. Accomplishments Title: On-line sensing of flax processed through a commercial system. Flax fibers are mixed with various levels of shive (woody, core cells comprising a fraction of the stem) that affect quality and subsequent use of the processed fibers. To expand markets for flax fiber, a quick and non-destructive method is needed to assess fiber cleanliness on-line and also assess the final product. Selected commercial bales of flax tow were monitored using a hand-held spectrometer containing a shive prediction model we developed earlier. Monitoring was at various positions in the processing system and for final products that have been subjected to various protocols. Data predicted shive levels at various stages and for fibers from specific, predetermined protocols comprising a test set. The impact for this accomplishment is the use of a cleanliness standard to characterize fibers for various applications. Such fibers matched with applications will begin to build a grading system for natural fibers that currently does not exist and that limits the markets of of flax and other bast fibers. This accomplishment addresses 306 N Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products and the Research Component��New Processes, New Uses, and Value-Added Foods and Biobased Products� and Problem Area 2c. �New and Improved Processes and Feedstocks�. Technology Transfer Number of Non-Peer Reviewed Presentations and Proceedings: 4
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Akin, D.E., Condon, B.D., Sohn, M., Foulk, J.A., Dodd, R.B., Rigsby, L.L. 2007. Optimization for enzyme retting of flax with pectate lyase. Industrial Crops and Products. 25:136-146.
- Akin, D.E. 2007. Grass lignocellulose: strategies to overcome recalcitrance. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 136-140:3-15. 2007.
- Marshall, W.E., Akin, D.E., Wartelle, L.H., Annis, P.A. 2007. Citric acid treatment of flax, cotton and blended nonwoven mats for copper ion absorption. Industrial Crops and Products. 26:8-13
- Marshall, W.E., Wartelle, L.H., Akin, D.E. 2007. Flax shive as a source of activated carbon for metals remediaton. BioResources 2:82-90.
|
Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress Report 1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? The U.S. is the largest per capita user of linen, but no flax is grown commercially for fiber by U.S. farmers and linen is not produced in this country. The NPS determined that research should be carried out towards the development of a U.S. flax/linen industry to supply high and consistent quality fibers to textiles and other fiber-using industries, especially those using natural fibers for reinforced composites. Two major technical problems impeding development of such industries are the lack of new retting methods to extract fiber from stems for clean and consistent quality fibers, and lack of standards to judge processing and fiber quality. To address these problems, research is being conducted on an enzymatic retting method to replace the current method of dew-retting, which depends
upon indigenous microorganisms and field conditions. For standards, research is being conducted, often with collaborators at the University of Georgia, at Clemson University, and the Cotton Quality Research Station, ARS-USDA, Clemson, SC, on fiber color, fineness, strength, length, and trash (nonfiber) content. In a broader sense, fundamental studies on structure and chemistry of agricultural materials generally are undertaken to gain insight into problems of fiber extraction, fiber characterization, and other potential biobased products. Results are then applied toward applicable industries, especially textiles, composites, or paper/pulp industries. How serious is the problem and why does it matter? The NPS after extensive review in the 1990s determined that research is needed to develop a US source of flax fiber, initially for the textile area. With subsequent events, natural fibers are sought for a variety of purposes, especially composites. The U.S., while a major user of flax
now for composites and other materials, produces no flax fiber and imports all that it uses. There is a consistent request for U.S. flax fiber. The primary problem is that the U.S. has no domestic source of flax fiber to fill these requests. The does it matter relates to efforts to supply domestic fiber needs for the U.S. industries and to improve the economics of the agricultural community by having another cash crop, especially a winter one in the south, and the use of a waste straw in the north. The research, addressing in general terms the area of bio-products, provides methods and knowledge for general development of bio-products from crops and crop residues. 2. List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) Year 1 (2005) 1. Add retting and secondary processing stages to Flax Fiber Pilot Plant. 2. Test various formulations using pilot plant cleaning systems. Year 2 (2006) 1. Begin tests with new and specific enzymes 2. Continue fundamental
work on fineness, trash, and strength. 3. Follow test methods through subcommittee and committee of ASTM International 4. Begin work on fineness and trash standards Year 3 (2007) 1. Ret new samples of fiber and seed flax 2. Establish recommended enzyme/chelator formulations and retting conditions. 3. Process large scale flax samples for use in woven and non-woven products. 4. Determine optimal retting and processing steps for various composites. 5. Analyze samples with microspectroscopic methods, chemical analysis, and processing efficiency. Year 4 (2008) 1. Identify flax properties modified with enzymes 2. Begin large scale retting tests. 3. Begin tests with new and specific enzymes. 4. Address ballot reports. 5. Develop fineness standard. 6. Begin work for strength standard 7 Test on-line sensors in pilot plant based on shive model. 8. Develop trash standard- send to subcommittee Year 5 (2009) 1. Test textile and composite products with enzyme retted
flax. 2. Report properties of enzyme-retted flax products and recommendations. 3. Report potential of specific enzyme mixtures. 4. Develop strength method 5. Address ballot report for trash 6. Report standards accepted by ASTM. 7. Test on-line sensors in pilot plant 8. Test on-line sensors in commercial plant. 4a List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. Title: Enzyme pretreatment releases aromatic compounds as potential co- products from biomass. This accomplishment addresses NP 306 and the Research ComponentNew Processes, New Uses, and Value-Added Foods and Biobased Products through the expansion of the research project within the original objectives. Phenolic acid esterase was used to as a biological pretreatment to release potential aromatic co-products and improve the quality of biomass materials that could be used in bioenergy. Products released by esterase and subsequent cellulases were quantitated and compared for different
materials. The outcome could be new environmentally friendly biological pretreatments and value-added co- products that help reduce costs of biomass products. 4d Progress report. Through collaborative efforts with the University of Georgia and the Southern Regional Research Center (New Orleans), nonwoven mats made with flax fiber and flax/cotton blends were tested for strength and thickness, by ASTM and AATCC standard test methods, after chemical treatment of for a potential use of heavy metal filtration fibers. Information provided information towards a potential new biobased product for using nonwoven flax mats for filtration of heavy metals. Through collaborative efforts with Clemson University and the Cotton Quality Research Station, Clemson, SC, large scale retting of flax and integration of two stage of cleaning was undertaken for flax fiber from linseed straw in the USDA Flax Fiber Pilot Plant in Clemson. This work showed that quality fiber could be produced from linseed straw
using the enzyme-retting protocol and cleaning systems of the pilot plant,. 5. Describe the major accomplishments to date and their predicted or actual impact. 1) Collaborative agreements with the University of Georgia and Clemson University to coordinate equipment and expertise related to enzymology, textiles, and engineering for development of a flax fiber industry. 2) Development, with colleagues at the University of Georgia and Clemson University, a new laboratory procedure using pectinase-rich enzyme mixtures and chelators applied to crimped stems to ret flax. 3) Establishment of the US Flax Initiative, which was an interim consortium of state and federal scientists and administrators and industry representatives for promoting a US flax/linen industry. 4) Establishment in 1998 of the Center for American Flax Fiber (CAFF) as a not-for- profit organization to promote all aspects of a fiber flax industry in the U.S. and which helped organize four flax workshops. 5) Establishment of
subcommittee D13.17 (Flax and Linen) of ASTM International to develop industry standards for judging quality of flax fibers. 6) Memorandum of Understanding with Biolin Research Inc., Saskatchewan, Canada, to study spectroscopic methods to estimate fiber contents in diverse flax varieties. 7) Establishment, with collaborators, the USDA Flax Fiber Pilot Plant to integrate retting and processing using commercial-type equipment but with flexible adjustments for research studies. 8) In the bridging research project, the accomplishments above were brought together to specifically address the development of a project to manufacture (on pilot plant scale) and test non-wovens products from a variety of types of flax fiber. 9) Acceptance of 4 standards on flax through ASTM International and published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. 10) Initiation of research on linseed through various collaborators in North Dakota use the straw, which is now mostly burned and creates an environmental
problem, to extract fiber, determine its properties, and test in various applications. 11) Project broadened to include research on structure, composition, and enzyme treatments of additional agricultural crops, including bioenergy crops, for value-added biobased products. The following list addresses the problem, i.e., need for research, of retting, processing, and evaluating flax for domestic biobased fiber. The last item (# 17) represents a broadened research effort using enzyme treatments and additional agricultural commodities to develop and evaluate potential value-added biobased products. These accomplishments all address NP 306 and the Research ComponentNew Processes, New Uses, and Value-Added Foods and Biobased Products as indicated below. NP 306. Component 1 (Quality characterization, preservation, and enhancement). The quality, preservation, and enhancement of bio-based fibers, specifically flax, are addressed through the multiple steps of this project. Methods and
standards are developed for several properties, including strength, fineness, color, trash, of flax fibers from new retting methods and processing procedures. These properties are enhanced through enzyme applications for specific industrial uses. The broadened research goals address the use of enzymes to develop, characterize and enhance value-added, biobased products. b. Component 2. (New processes, new uses, and value-added biobased- products). Enzyme-retting provides for a sustainable, environmentally friendly method to produce consistent, high-quality fibers. These bio-based fibers may serve as a replacement for glass fibers in bio-based composites, textile blends with cotton and other fibers for value-added niche markets, and value-added pulp for specialty papers from domestically produced flax. The broadened research goals address the current administrative focus on biobased products, especially for co-products from bioenergy crops. 6. What science and/or technologies have been
transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Test samples of enzyme-retted flax fibers have been provided to ARS laboratories for evaluation of yarn blends. Flax fiber was made available for blending with other fibers for nonwoven fabrics. Interaction with the Center for American Flax Fiber is maintained on a regular basis to provide updated research information for distribution to commercial and scientific interests. Direction is provided to the Flax and Linen subcommittee of ASTM International for development of flax standards, which currently include ones for terminology, color, fineness, and trash. Information on the potential use of seed flax straw residues was given to the North Dakota Council on Oilseeds, and collaborative research was established with North Dakota State University.
Research results were provided to the Flax Institute at its technical meetings. A method for measuring flax fiber in plants was developed with collaborators in ARS and provided the basis for a method in Canada to test field plots for fiber yield. Technical information has been provided to universities to promote work on textiles and industrial fibers through lectures to students, collaborative projects with professors, and interaction with staff and students. Information on enzyme-retting, standards development, and establishment of a flax fiber pilot plant have been made available to university, government, and commercial personnel at several international meetings. The major constraint is the lack of consistency in a domestic industrial base for flax fibers. Collaborators are sought within the linseed industry, which has fiber sources (waste linseed straw) and could benefit economically from a secondary product from straw, which is now an environmental disposal problem. Production
of a high-value, clean fiber from linseed straw is the challenge. The technology for flax fiber production in its entirely should be available to processors and farmers within 5-7 years, with some portions available within 3-5 years. This scenario depends on the establishment of a commercial industry who will invest in flax fiber. Expanded research for new biobased products from energy crops addresses problems associated with ARS laboratories involved with this new emphasis including: Dr. Bill Anderson, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA; Dr. Mike Cotta and Bruce Dien, NCAUR, Peoria, IL; Dr. Kevin Hicks, ERRC, Wyndmoor, PA. 7. List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). 1. Akin, D.E. Standards for flax fiber, pp. 22-25. Standardization News. September. 2005.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Sohn, M., Himmelsbach, D.S., Akin, D.E., Barton II, F.E. 2005. Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy for determining linen content in linen/cotton blend products. Textile Research Journal. 75(8):583-590.
- Akin, D.E., Morrison III, W.H., Rigsby, L.L., Barton II, F.E., Himmelsbach, D.S., Hicks, K.B. 2006. Corn stover fractions and bioenergy: chemical composition, structure and response to enzyme pretreatment. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 129-132:pp 104-116.
- Foulk, J.A., Chao, W.Y., Akin, D.E., Dodd, R.B., Layton, P.A. 2006. Analysis of flax and cotton fiber fabric blends and recycled polyethylene composites. Polymers and the Environment. 14(1):15-25.
- Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z. 2006. "Green" composites and nanocomposites from soybean oil [abstract]. 14th International Conference on the Strength of Materials (ICSMA14). p. 103.
- Foulk, J.A., Bauer, P.J., Akin, D.E., Busscher, W.J., Camp Jr, C.R., Ayala Silva, T., Dodd, R. 2005. Tillage effects on cotton and flax. Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture, The Science of Conservation Tillage -- Continuing the Discoveries. Clemson University, Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Florence, SC, June 27- 29, 2005. p.131-139.
- Akin, D.E., Morrison III, W.H., Rigsby, L.L., Barton II, F.E., Himmelsbach, D.S., Hicks, K.B. 2005. Characteristics of corn stover for bioenergy. Proceedings of the 34th United States-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources: Food and Agriculture Panel. pp. 136-139.
- Akin, D.E. 2006. Developing standards to judge flax fibre quality. 28th International Cotton Conference (Bremen Germany). pp. 177-187.
|
Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? The U.S. is the largest per capita user of linen, but no flax is grown commercially for fiber by U.S. farmers and linen is not produced in this country. The NPS determined that research should be carried out towards the development of a U.S. flax/linen industry to supply high and consistent quality fibers to textiles and other fiber-using industries, especially those using natural fibers for reinforced composites. Two major technical problems impeding development of such industries are the lack of new retting methods to extract fiber from stems for clean and consistent quality fibers, and lack of standards to judge processing and fiber quality. To address these problems, research is being conducted on an enzymatic retting method to replace the current method of dew-retting, which depends upon
indigenous microorganisms and field conditions. For standards, research is being conducted, often with collaborators at the University of Georgia, at Clemson University, and the Cotton Quality Research Station, ARS-USDA, Clemson, SC, on fiber color, fineness, strength, length, and trash (nonfiber) content. Fundamental studies on structure and chemistry are undertaken to gain insight into problems of fiber extraction and fiber characterization. Results are then applied toward industry needs in textiles, composites, or paper/pulp industries. 2. List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. 1. Add retting and secondary processing stages to Flax Fiber Pilot Plant. 2. Test various formulations using pilot plant cleaning systems. 3. Ret new samples of fiber and seed flax. Establish recommended enzyme/chelator formulations and retting conditions. 4. Process large scale flax samples for use in woven and non-woven products. 5. Determine optimal retting and
processing steps for various composites. 6. Test textile and composite products with enzyme retted flax. 7. Report properties of enzyme-retted flax products and recommendations. 8. Begin tests with new and specific enzymes. 9. Analyze samples with microspectroscopic methods, chemical analysis, and processing efficiency. 10. Identify flax properties modified with enzymes. 11. Begin large scale retting tests. 12. Report potential of specific enzyme mixtures. 13. Continue fundamental work on fineness, trash, and strength methods. 14. Follow test methods through subcommittee and committee of ASTM International. 15. Begin work on fineness and trash standards. 16. Address ballot reports. Develop fineness standard. Begin work for strength standard. 17. Develop strength standard. Address ballot report for trash. Report standards accepted by ASTM. 18. Test on-line sensors in pilot plant. 19. Test on-line sensors in commercial plant. 3a List the milestones that were scheduled to be
addressed in FY 2005. For each milestone, indicate the status: fully met, substantially met, or not met. If not met, why. 1. Add retting and secondary processing stages to Flax Fiber Pilot Plant. Milestone Substantially Met 2. Test various formulations using pilot plant cleaning systems. Milestone Substantially Met 8. Begin tests with new and specific enzymes. Milestone Substantially Met 13. Continue fundamental work on fineness, trash, and strength methods. Milestone Substantially Met 14. Follow test methods through subcommittee and committee of ASTM International. Milestone Substantially Met 15. Begin work on strength and additional trash standards. Milestone Substantially Met 3b List the milestones that you expect to address over the next 3 years (FY 2006, 2007, and 2008). What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years under each milestone? 2006 2. Continuous work throughout the project to test various formulations using pilot plant cleaning systems. 3.
Ret new samples of fiber and seed flax. Establish recommended enzyme/chelator formulations and retting conditions. 13. Continue fundamental work on fineness, trash, and strength properties. 14. Follow test methods through subcommittee and committee of ASTM International. 15. Continue work on strength and additional trash standards. 2007 6. Test textile and composite products with enzyme retted flax. 8. Continue tests with new and specific enzymes (as available from industry). 9. Analyze samples with microspectroscopic methods, chemical analysis, and processing efficiency. 11. Begin large scale retting tests. 2008 4. Process large scale flax samples for use in woven and non-woven products. 5. Determine optimal retting and processing steps for various composites. 10. Identify flax properties modified with enzymes. 16. Address ballot reports. Develop fineness standard. Continue work for strength standard. 4a What was the single most significant accomplishment this past year? A
commercial enzyme was tested in our system and resulted in significantly improved fiber strength over previous enzyme formulations. Other enzyme mixtures that are effective in retting reduce fiber strength due to the presence of cellulases along with the other enzymes. A commercial enzyme was integrated in our retting and pilot plant cleaning systems and tested with new methods for standards developed through ASTM. Flax fiber strength was significantly improved, and other properties were equal or better than other enzyme-retting formulations. The outcome is that enzyme-retting produces fibers of strength that could facilitate replacement of glass fiber with natural fiber in composites. Potential results are huge savings in energy (the production cost of natural fibers is estimated to be reduced 80% over that with glass fiber) and use of flax in composites for a variety of applications. 4d Progress report. The secondary cleaning stages to 'cottonize' flax fiber are being implemented
through collaborative efforts with Clemson University and the Cotton Quality Research Station. Once completed, a series of fibers with various properties can be produced in sufficient quantities for testing in textiles, non-woven applications, and other products. 'Standard Test Method For Assessing Clean Flax Fiber Fineness,' based on an airflow method used in our work for several years, was accepted as a new standard by ASTM International with the number D 7025-04. Currently, there are 3 accepted test standards for flax fiber, where there were none 3 years ago. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. 1) Collaborative agreements with the University of Georgia and Clemson University to coordinate equipment and expertise related to enzymology, textiles, and engineering for development of a flax fiber industry. 2) Development, with colleagues at the University of Georgia and Clemson University, a new laboratory
procedure using pectinase-rich enzyme mixtures and chelators applied to crimped stems to ret flax. 3) Establishment of the US Flax Initiative, which was an interim consortium of state and federal scientists and administrators and industry representatives for promoting a US flax/linen industry. 4) Establishment in 1998 of the Center for American Flax Fiber (CAFF) as a not-for-profit organization to promote all aspects of a fiber flax industry in the U.S. and which helped organize four flax workshops. 5) Establishment of subcommittee D13.17 (Flax and Linen) of ASTM International to develop industry standards for judging quality of flax fibers. 6) Memorandum of Understanding with Biolin Research Inc., Saskatchewan, Canada, to study spectroscopic methods to estimate fiber contents in diverse flax varieties. 7) Establishment, with collaborators, the USDA Flax Fiber Pilot Plant to integrate retting and processing using commercial-type equipment but with flexible adjustments for research
studies. 8) In the bridging research project, the accomplishments above were brought together to specifically address the development of a project to manufacture (on pilot plant scale) and test non-wovens products from a variety of types of flax fiber. 9) Acceptance of 4 standards on flax through ASTM International. 10) Initiation of research on linseed through various collaborators to use the straw, which is now mostly burned and creates an environmental problem, to extract fiber, determine its properties, and test in various applications. RELEVANCE TO ARS NATIONAL PROGRAM ACTION PLAN. RESEARCH PROPOSED HEREIN ADDRESSES THE TWO NP 306 COMPONENTS: a. Component 1 (Quality characterization, preservation, and enhancement). The quality, preservation, and enhancement of bio-based fibers, specifically flax, are addressed through the multiple steps of this project. Methods and standards are developed for several properties, including strength, fineness, color, trash, of flax fibers from
new retting methods and processing procedures. These properties are enhanced through enzyme applications for specific industrial uses. b. Component 2. (New processes, new uses, and value-added biobased- products). Enzyme-retting provides for a sustainable, environmentally friendly method to produce consistent, high-quality fibers. These bio-based fibers may serve as a replacement for glass fibers in bio-based composites, textile blends with cotton and other fibers for value-added niche markets, and value-added pulp for specialty papers from domestically produced flax. 6. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Test samples of enzyme-retted flax fibers have been provided to ARS laboratories for evaluation of yarn blends. Flax fiber was made
available for blending with other fibers for nonwoven fabrics. Interaction with the Center for American Flax Fiber is maintained on a regular basis to provide updated research information for distribution to commercial and scientific interests. Direction is provided to the Flax and Linen subcommittee of ASTM International for development of flax standards, which currently include ones for terminology, color, fineness, and trash. Information on the potential use of seed flax straw residues was given to the North Dakota Council on Oilseeds, and collaborative research was established with North Dakota State University. Research results were provided to the Flax Institute at its technical meetings. A method for measuring flax fiber in plants was developed with collaborators in ARS and provided the basis for a method in Canada to test field plots for fiber yield. Technical information has been provided to universities to promote work on textiles and industrial fibers through lectures
to students, collaborative projects with professors, and interaction with staff and students. Information on enzyme-retting, standards development, and establishment of a flax fiber pilot plant have been made available to university, government, and commercial personnel at several international meetings. The major constraint is the lack of consistency in a domestic industrial base for flax fibers. Collaborators are sought within the linseed industry, which has fiber sources (waste linseed straw) and could benefit economically from a secondary product from straw, which is now an environmental disposal problem. Production of a high-value, clean fiber from linseed straw is the challenge. The technology for flax fiber production in its entirely should be available to processors and farmers within 5-7 years, with some portions available within 3-5 years.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Akin, D.E., Dodd, R.B., Foulk, J.A. 2005. Pilot plant for processing flax fiber. Industrial Crops and Products. 21:369-378.
- Sohn, M., Barton II, F.E., Morrison III, W.H., Akin, D.E. 2004. Prediction of shive content in pilot plant processed flax by NIR reflectance spectroscopy. Near Infrared Spectroscopy Journal. 12(4):251-258.
- Sohn, M., Barton II, F.E., Akin, D.E., Morrison III, W.H. 2004. A new approach for estimating purity of processed flax fiber by NIR spectroscopy. Near Infrared Spectroscopy Journal. 12:259-262.
- Anderson, W.F., Peterson, J., Akin, D.E., Morrison Iii, W.H. 2005. Enzyme- pretreatment of grass lignocellulose for potential high-value co-products and an improved fermentable substrate. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 121-124:303-310.
- Foulk, J.A., Akin, D.E., McAlister III, D.D. 2004. Fiber crops: cotton and cottonized flax. Cotton International World Report. February 2004. pp 8-10.
- Akin, D.E., Dodd, R.B., Foulk, J.A., Morrison III, W.H. 2004. Research to develop and support a US flax fiber industry. In: Proceedings of the 33rd United States-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources, December 8- 21, 2004, Honolulu, Hawaii. p. 96-100.
- Liu, Z., Akin, D.E., Barton Ii, F.E., Onwulata, C.I., Erhan, S.Z. 2004. Preparation of soy-based composites reinforced with protein coated flax fiber. UJNR Food & Agricultural Panel Proceedings. p. 134.
- Dodd, R.B., Akin, D.E. 2005. Recent developments in retting and measurement of fiber quality in natural fibers: pros and cons. In: Mohanty, A.K., Misra, M., Drzal, L. T., editors. Natural Fibers, Biopolymers, and the Biocomposites.Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 141-157.
- Akin, D.E., Dodd, R.B., Foulk, J.A., Morrison III, W.H. 2005. Flax research in the US: production, retting, processing and standards. In: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference for Renewable Resources and Plant Biotechnology, June 6-7, 2005, Poznan, Poland. CDROM.
- Annis, P.P., Akin, D.E., Foulk, J.A., Dodd, R.B., Vaughn, E.A., Knopp, J.A. , Brewer, M.S. 2005. Cotton flax blended nonwoven fabrics with value-added properties for industrial markets. In: Proceedings of the National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference, New Orleans, LA, January 4-7. p. 2780- 2786.
|
|