Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
2014
Journal or Book Title
Energy and Fuels
Volume
28
Issue
2
First Page
1111
Last Page
1120
DOI
10.1021/ef4022015
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEM) and the role of acid pretreatments in the production of sugars during solvent liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass using 1,4-dioxane and water as solvents. The present study found that removal of AAEM by acid washing/water rinsing did not enhance sugar production during solvent liquefaction of pretreated switchgrass nearly to the extent observed for fast pyrolysis nor did it inhibit lignin decomposition, suggesting that AAEM play less of a role in determining product yields in solvent liquefaction. On the other hand, acid infusion greatly enhanced the yields of sugars during solvent liquefaction, presumably because the strong acid catalytically promoted both the depolymerization and the dehydration of polysaccharides. The main monomeric sugars formed were levoglucosan, glucose, and xylose. Levoglucosan was the predominant sugar when 1,4-dioxane was the solvent, whereas glucose was the major sugar when water was the solvent. When 1,4-dioxane and water were cosolvents, partial hydrolysis of levoglucosan to glucose was observed. The maximum yield of the total sugars (19.8 wt %) from AI switchgrass occurred when 9:1 mixtures of 1,4-dioxane and water were used as cosolvents. In addition, the sugars were more stable in the 1,4-dioxane and water mixture compared to water alone.
Copyright Owner
American Chemical Society
Copyright Date
2014
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Bai, Xianglan; Brown, Robert C.; Fu, Jie; Shanks, Brent H.; and Kieffer, Matthew, "The influence of alkali and alkaline earth metals and the role of acid pretreatments in production of sugars from switchgrass based on solvent liquefaction" (2014). Chemical and Biological Engineering Publications. 236.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cbe_pubs/236
Included in
Biological Engineering Commons, Chemical Engineering Commons, Mechanical Engineering Commons
Comments
Reprinted (adapted) with permission from Energy and Fuels 28 (2014): 1111, doi: 10.1021/ef4022015.Copyright 2014 American Chemical Society.