Hemicellulose

Hemicellulose is composed of carbohydrates based on pentose sugars, mainly xylose, as well as hexose sugars, such as glucose and mannose. Hemicellulose comprises 25 to 35 percent of the dry weight of wood residues; they are second only to cellulose in abundance among carbohydrates. While use of hemicellulose is currently limited, quantities of hemicelluloses, pectins, and various other plant polymers are abundant in crop residues and have great potential in the production of chemicals and materials. During the pulping process, hemicellulose is pooled with lignin to become the wood-processing residue, black liquor.

Hemicellulose