Mechanistic insights into lignin dissolution behaviors of a recyclable acid hydrotrope (p-TsOH), deep eutectic solvent (DES, ChCl-Lac), and ionic liquid (IL, [Amim][Cl]) were carried out by combined quantum chemistry calculations and molecular dynamics simulations.

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To achieve green processing through recycling catalysts, this study demonstrated a commercial solid acid toluenesulfonic acid (p-TsOH) for furfural production from corncob. Acid recyclability study indicate that crystalized p-TsOH was highly effective for furfural production. A kinetic based reaction severity, combined hydrolysis factor (CHF), was used to develop a furfural predictive model with the consideration of loss through degradation. Furfural yield of approximately 75% theoretical was achieved in a CHF range between 830 and 1850.

Levulinic acid (LA) was used to prepare lubricant base stocks by esterification with three different polyols including neopentyl glycol (NPG), trimethylolpropane (TMP), and pentaerythritol (PE) in the presence of sulfuric acid.

The characteristics of ethanol production by immobilized yeast cells were investigated for both repeated batch fermentation and continuous fermentation. With an initial sugar concentration of 280 g/L during the repeated batch fermentation, more than 98% of total sugar was consumed in 65 h with an average ethanol concentration and ethanol yield of 130.12 g/L and 0.477 g ethanol/g consumed sugar, respectively. The immobilized yeast cell system was reliable for at least 10 batches and for a period of 28 days without accompanying the regeneration of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inside the carriers. The multistage continuous fermentation was carried out in a five-stage column bioreactor with a total working volume of 3.75 L. The bioreactor was operated for 26 days at a dilution rate of 0.015 h(-1). The ethanol concentration of the effluent reached 130.77 g/L ethanol while an average 8.18 g/L residual sugar remained. Due to the high osmotic pressure and toxic ethanol, considerable yeast cells died without regeneration, especially in the last two stages, which led to the breakdown of the whole system of multistage continuous fermentation.

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