Method for making natural cellulosic fiber bundles from cellulosic sources

A method for extracting natural cellulosic fiber bundles from cornhusks, the method comprising:

• performing a first portion of an enzyme treatment on a cornhusk material, the first portion of the enzyme treatment comprising contacting the cornhusk material with a first enzyme solution that comprises a xylanase at a concentration that is between about 0.05 and about 5 percent for a duration of about 10 to about 60 minutes to form a first mixture having a first enzyme solution-to-husk ratio between about 1:1 and about 100:1 and is at a temperature within a range of about 10 to about 65° C.;
• separating the first mixture into a first solid portion comprising the cornhusk material and a first liquid portion comprising the first enzyme solution;
• performing an alkali treatment on the first solid portion, the alkali treatment comprising contacting the cornhusk material with an alkali solution for a duration of about 15 to about 90 minutes to form a second mixture having an alkali solution-to-solid ratio between about 1:1 and about 100:1 and is at a temperature within a range of about 60 to about 100° C., wherein the alkali solution comprises an alkali compound and has a normality that is between about 0.05 and about 2.5N;
• separating the second mixture into a second solid portion comprising the cornhusk material and a second liquid portion comprising the alkali solution;
• performing a second portion of the enzyme treatment on the second solid portion, the second portion of the enzyme treatment comprising contacting the cornhusk material with a second enzyme solution that comprises a cellulase at a concentration that is between about 0.05 and about 5 percent for a duration of about 10 to about 60 minutes to form a third mixture having a second enzyme solution-to-solid ratio between about 1:1 and about 100:1 and is at a temperature within a range of about 10 to about 65° C.;
• and
• separating the third mixture into a second solid portion comprising the natural cellulosic fiber bundles and a third liquid portion comprising the second enzyme solution.

A method for extracting natural cellulosic fiber bundles from wheat straw, which comprises wax on its surface, the method comprising:

• performing a detergent treatment on the wheat straw to remove at least a portion of the wax from the surface of the wheat straw, wherein the detergent treatment comprises contacting the wheat straw with a detergent solution having a detergent concentration that is between about 0.05 and about 30% (w/v) for a duration that is between about 20 minutes and about 24 hours maintained within the temperature range of about 0 to about 100° C.;
• performing an alkali treatment on the detergent-treated wheat straw, the alkali treatment comprising contacting the detergent-treated wheat straw with an alkali solution for a duration of about 15 to about 90 minutes to form a first mixture having a alkali solution-to-solid ratio between about 1:1 and about 100:1 and is at a temperature within a range of about 60 to about 100° C., wherein the alkali solution comprises an alkali compound and has a normality that is between about 0.05 and about 2.5 N;
• separating the first mixture into a first solid portion comprising the wheat straw and a first liquid portion comprising the alkali solution;
• performing an enzyme treatment on the first solid portion, the enzyme treatment comprising contacting the first solid portion with an enzyme solution that comprises an enzyme at a concentration between about 0.05 and about 5 percent for a duration of about 10 to about 60 minutes to form a second mixture having an enzyme solution-to-solid ratio between about 1:1 and about 100:1 and is at a temperature within a range of about 10 to about 65° C.;
• and
• separating the second mixture into a second solid portion comprising the natural cellulosic fiber bundles and a second liquid portion comprising the enzyme solution.