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Different biomaterials have different chemical compositions and since the densification properties are strongly related to feedstock, it is important to increase knowledge about biomass relationship to densification properties. The purpose of this chapter is to give a brief introduction to the development of the plant kingdom, the chemical composition of biomasses, and how different components can affect the densification characteristics. A study where 11 different pure substances (cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, etc.), added to pine and beech, are pelletized in a single pellet press and results are presented showing that polysaccharides can play an important role when biomasses are densified as single sources or blends solutions in a densification process.

The sun is the only source of renewable energy available to us, if geothermal energy is not taken into account. In the form of radiation (UV light, visible light, infrared light, Section 1.1) it sends us annually 178,000 terawatts (1 TW = 10¹² W; unit of power 1 W = 1 J s^–1 = 859.85 calories per hour), that is to say 15,000 times the energy consumed annually by humanity. Only 0.1% of the solar energy received by planet Earth is converted into plant biomass, i.e. 100 × 10⁹ tons per year which corresponds to ca. 180 × 10⁹ tons per year of CO₂ captured from the atmosphere. This CO₂ returns to the biosphere after the death of the plants. Consumption of fossil carbon emits ca. 35 × 10⁹ tons of CO₂ yearly. Biomass is the material produced by all living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms, fungi)…

In this paper, a new cationic type asphalt emulsifier of triethylenetetraamine/formaldehyde modified lignin amine was synthesized by the reaction of lignin, triethylenetetraamine, sodium hydroxide and formaldehyde. The synthesis process was determined through the online Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) technique and the intermediate was identified. The synthesized asphalt emulsifier exhibited excellent surface activity and satisfactory emulsification effect, with higher storage stability. This emulsifier belongs to the group of medium-set asphalt emulsifier and it is suitable for application in road pavement construction of chip seal and tack coat.