Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials
Plant biomass has various compositions and structures at different scales (from the component organs to their constitutive tissues) to support its functional properties. Recovering each part of the plant without damaging its structure poses a challenge to preserving its original properties for diffe...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/18/5350 |
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| author | Claire Mayer-Laigle Laia Haurie Ibarra Amélie Breysse Marina Palumbo Frédéric Mabille Ana Maria Lacasta Palacio Cécile Barron |
| author_facet | Claire Mayer-Laigle Laia Haurie Ibarra Amélie Breysse Marina Palumbo Frédéric Mabille Ana Maria Lacasta Palacio Cécile Barron |
| author_sort | Claire Mayer-Laigle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plant biomass has various compositions and structures at different scales (from the component organs to their constitutive tissues) to support its functional properties. Recovering each part of the plant without damaging its structure poses a challenge to preserving its original properties for differential dedicated end uses, and considerably increases its added value. In this work, an original combination of grinding based on shearing stress and separation based on particle size and density was successfully used to sort rind (65% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) and pith (35% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) from maize stem internodes. More than 97% of the rind was isolated. The pith alveolar structure was well preserved in coarse particles, making them suitable for insulation bio-based composite materials, a promising alternative to conventional nonbiodegradable insulation panels. Boards produced from the dry fractionated pith exhibited thermal conductivities like those produced from hand dissected pith, with values equal to 0.037 W·mK<sup>−1</sup> and 0.039 W·mK<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. In the finest fraction (particle size <1 mm), the pith vascular bundles (around 300–400 µm in diameter) were dissociated from parenchyma cells and successfully isolated using a cutting-edge electrostatic separator. Their structures, which provide the plant structural support, make them potentially valuable for reinforcement in composite materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:28:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10cf88a33f314ea091b09d6aa43fb582 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:28:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-10cf88a33f314ea091b09d6aa43fb5822023-11-22T14:02:47ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-09-011418535010.3390/ma14185350Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-MaterialsClaire Mayer-Laigle0Laia Haurie Ibarra1Amélie Breysse2Marina Palumbo3Frédéric Mabille4Ana Maria Lacasta Palacio5Cécile Barron6IATE, University of Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, 34060 Montpellier, FranceGICITED Research Group, Departament de Tecnologia de l’Arquitectura, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, SpainIATE, University of Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, 34060 Montpellier, FranceGICITED Research Group, Departament de Tecnologia de l’Arquitectura, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, SpainIATE, University of Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, 34060 Montpellier, FranceGICITED Research Group, Departament de Tecnologia de l’Arquitectura, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, SpainIATE, University of Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, 34060 Montpellier, FrancePlant biomass has various compositions and structures at different scales (from the component organs to their constitutive tissues) to support its functional properties. Recovering each part of the plant without damaging its structure poses a challenge to preserving its original properties for differential dedicated end uses, and considerably increases its added value. In this work, an original combination of grinding based on shearing stress and separation based on particle size and density was successfully used to sort rind (65% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) and pith (35% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) from maize stem internodes. More than 97% of the rind was isolated. The pith alveolar structure was well preserved in coarse particles, making them suitable for insulation bio-based composite materials, a promising alternative to conventional nonbiodegradable insulation panels. Boards produced from the dry fractionated pith exhibited thermal conductivities like those produced from hand dissected pith, with values equal to 0.037 W·mK<sup>−1</sup> and 0.039 W·mK<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. In the finest fraction (particle size <1 mm), the pith vascular bundles (around 300–400 µm in diameter) were dissociated from parenchyma cells and successfully isolated using a cutting-edge electrostatic separator. Their structures, which provide the plant structural support, make them potentially valuable for reinforcement in composite materials.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/18/5350plant tissuesmillingelectrostatic separationthermal propertiesgravity sorting |
| spellingShingle | Claire Mayer-Laigle Laia Haurie Ibarra Amélie Breysse Marina Palumbo Frédéric Mabille Ana Maria Lacasta Palacio Cécile Barron Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials Materials plant tissues milling electrostatic separation thermal properties gravity sorting |
| title | Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials |
| title_full | Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials |
| title_fullStr | Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials |
| title_short | Preserving the Cellular Tissue Structure of Maize Pith Though Dry Fractionation Processes: A Key Point to Use as Insulating Agro-Materials |
| title_sort | preserving the cellular tissue structure of maize pith though dry fractionation processes a key point to use as insulating agro materials |
| topic | plant tissues milling electrostatic separation thermal properties gravity sorting |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/18/5350 |
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