Chemical sulfation of lignocellulosic pulps from commercial sources: Reactivity and properties evaluation

after sulfate grafting, enabling the formation of gel-like pulps. The thermal stability of the sulfated pulps is also significantly improved. Grafted sulfate is very effective in forming a char layer on the surface of the fibers, increasing the amount of mass residue to up to 30% at a temperature of 900 °C. These properties make sulfated lignocellulosic fibers promising for applications in a wide range of fields, such as bio-based superabsorbent polymers, ion exchange bio-resins, dispersion bio-additives, and fire-resistant biomaterial.