Development of Enzymatic Hemp Degumming Process
Research Goal
Develop a systematic understanding of an enzyme-assisted degumming strategy to produce spinnable, cottonized hemp fibers using a resilient approach.
Project Description
Establish comprehensive fiber characterization and analytical frameworks to assess hemp fiber quality, elucidate enzyme-fiber interaction mechanisms, and systematically evaluate the effects of selective enzymatic degumming treatments on fiber spinnability and performance.
Impact
This research supports green textile processing technologies for the resurgence of industrial hemp fiber in domestic U.S. manufacturing and provides strategies for cleaner production within the textile industry.
Project Progress
Project Outputs
Discover the tangible outcomes and impact of this project.
Sonja Salmon
NC State University
Professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, NC State University
Sonja Salmon’s research explores what happens when textile fibers act as biological systems rather than passive materials. As Professor in NC State’s Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, she leads work in biocatalytic textiles, a class of materials in which enzymes are immobilized within fibers to enable functions including CO2 capture, water treatment, and waste remediation.
Her research centers on enzyme-fiber interactions: enzymatic modification, degradation, and processing of fibers, enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of fiber-forming polymers, and the development of bio-based materials for textile applications. The work draws from biotechnology and textile science in equal measure, shaped in part by her earlier career at Novozymes, a leading biotech firm.
Since joining Wilson College’s faculty, Salmon has attracted more than $11 million in research funding from NSF, USDA, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and contributed to securing an NSF grant that could total up to $160 million for Wilson College over the next decade. She holds five issued patents with 13 more filed.
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Fiber and Polymer Science, NC State University, 1995
- Bachelor of Science (BS), Textile Chemistry, NC State University, 1989
- Enzymatic Degumming Study on Hemp
Global Industrial Hemp Fiber Summit (NCSU), 7/15/2025
Siyan Wang, Sonja Salmon
- Wang, S., Salmon, S. Enzymatic degumming of hemp: a literature review. Cellulose 32, 7501–7533 (2025).
