Biomaterial Analysis for Flax Biofiber: from Harvest to Product

加拿大是世界亚麻籽生产的领导者，估计本作物年将收获9.1亿吨亚麻籽。 不幸的是，几乎所有的秸秆从作物目前被烧毁的领域。 目前被焚烧的加工亚麻纤维的估计市场价值为每年2 000万至3 000万美元。在提高将秸秆加工成亚麻纤维的工业能力方面已经取得了进展，但同一田地的作物变化使得从油籽亚麻秸秆加工纺织级纤维在经济上不可行。 这项研究计划将使用近红外和中红外光谱分析从收获到最终产品的亚麻茎和秸秆。 在收获时进行评估的能力将使生产者能够将作物出售给最高价值的市场;有效地对田间产生的变异进行分类，以使生产者（农民）和消费者（即，纺织、复合材料、造纸和燃料工业）。 *** 莫里森博士的世界领先的研究仪器将提供所需的数据，以构建预测模型：提取纤维的数量，提取的相对容易程度和可测量的表面化学和亚表面结构/化学之间的关系。中红外仪器以前没有被认为是可行的，因为他们的微妙的组成部分在外地使用。 具体来说，在最精确的中红外仪器中，空气轴承上的移动镜需要将它们保持在受控的实验室和制造设施中。 中红外仪器也缺乏足够的光密度来克服微弱的信号和灰尘干扰。 然而，新技术正在产生中红外量子级联激光器，这些激光器足够明亮，可以在没有滑动镜的情况下使用室温精确测量信号。 这个研究计划还需要了解和解决的是激光器需要工作的频率，以及它们在该领域应用的可行性。 莫里森博士的背景使他能够成为从基础中红外实验室光谱和可行性模型到最终工作开发、集成和评估新的中红外漫后向散射光谱和其他必要成像组件到打包机设计的所有研究阶段的一个组成部分。开发在收获期间可用的方法和光谱技术是成功的精准农业、改进跟踪和作物安全以及作物高效加工和市场评估的关键。

Canada is a world leader in flax seed production with an estimated 910 million tonnes to be harvested in this crop year. Unfortunately almost all of the straw from the crop is currently burned in the field. The estimated market value for processed flax fibre that is currently burned is $20-30 million dollars/year. Progress has been made to raise industry capacity to process straw into linen fiber, but crop variation across the same field has made it economically unfeasible to process textile grade fiber from oilseed flax straw. This program of research will use near and mid infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy to analyze oilseed flax stems and straw from harvest to the final product. The ability to conduct assessments at time of harvest will enable producers to sell the crop to the highest value market; effectively sorting the variation produced in the field to the benefit of both producer (farmer) and consumers (i.e., textile, composites, paper and fuel industries). ***     Dr. Morrison's world leading research instruments will provide the data required to construct models that predict: the quantity of extracted fibre, the relative ease of extraction and the relationship between measurable surface chemistry and subsurface structure/chemistry. Mid-IR instruments have not previously been considered viable for use in the field because of their delicate components. Specifically the required for a moving mirror on an air bearing in the most precise of mid-IR instruments keeps them in controlled labs and manufacturing facilities. The mid-IR instruments have also lacked sufficient light density to overcome weak signals and dust interference. However, new technology is producing quantum cascade lasers in the mid-IR that are bright enough to provide signals that are accurately measured using room temperature without a sliding mirror. What remains to be understood, and to be addressed by this program of research, are the frequencies the lasers would need to operate at and then the feasibility of their application in the field.***     Dr. Morrison's background makes him uniquely positioned to be an integral part of all stages of research from the fundamental mid-IR laboratory spectroscopy and feasibility models to the end work developing, integrating and evaluating new mid-IR diffuse backscatter spectroscopy and other necessary imaging components into baler designs. The development of methods and spectroscopy technology that is usable during harvest is key to successful precision agriculture, improved tracking and crop security as well as efficient processing and market valuation of crops.**