In
this paper, we disclose a novel saccharification technology
for lignocellulosic biomass. A new carbon-based solid (C-SO3H) acid catalyst was first synthesized by a simple, one-step hydrothermal
carbonization method using microcrystalline cellulose and sulfuric
acid. The functional group, chemical composition and structure of
the catalyst were characterized. After five reuses, the solid acid
catalyst still showed a high catalytic activity for corncob pretreatment.
Under optimal pretreatment conditions (140 °C, 6 h, 0.25 g of
corncob, 0.25 g of catalyst, and 25 mL of water), xylose was directly
released from corncob in a high yield (78.1%). Enzymatic hydrolysis
of the pretreatment residue provided an enzymatic digestibility of
up to 91.6% in 48 h. The structure, morphology, and components of
the corncob and residues were analyzed. The high xylose and glucose
yields confirmed the high catalytic activity of the synthetic carbon-based
solid acid, providing green and effective lignocellulose utilization.
Soft conductors show great promise in multifunctional sensor applications. However, both electronically and ionically conductive materials are often vulnerable during large deformation or at low temperatures, leading to reduced sensitivity,...
The mechanism of nonionic surfactants improving the cellulose conversion is still controversial. To protect enzyme stability and prevent unproductive adsorption of cellulase to lignin, which have been thought of as the chief factors for the improvement of nonionic surfactants on cellulolytic hydrolysis, were evaluated in this work. SDS-PAGE detection showed that the enzyme could not aggregate in the enzymatic hydrolysis process whether the polysorbates (Tweens) were present or not. Tweens had different capabilities to retain and even improve enzymes' activities, but these capabilities had little relation to enhancing the enzymatic hydrolysis of treated sugar cane bagasse (SCB). Tweens could increase the adsorption of cellulase to lignins and SCB samples, which was different from the current viewpoint that nonionic surfactants could impede the adsorption of cellulase to lignin. After discussion, it was proposed that the nonionic surfactants initially lubricated the access of cellulase to cellulose and subsequently combined with the free chemical groups released from lignin to impede the adsorption of cellulase to lignin with the enzymatic hydrolysis proceeding.
In this work, the conversion of xylose to furfural (FF) was effectively achieved in a water-MIBK biphasic solvent system over the synthesized magnetic carbon-based solid acid catalyst (MMCSA). The effect of various reaction conditions was studied on the dehydration of xylose and the highest FF yield of 79.04% was obtained.Byproducts in the reaction process were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which provides insights into the reaction pathway of the xylose conversion to FF over the current catalyst. The observed deactivation of the catalyst at high temperature (190 o C) was addressed by its regeneration with concentrated sulfuric acid (98 wt%). A comparable FF yield (73.74%) was achieved over the regenerated MMCSA. The possible deactivation-regeneration mechanism of this catalyst has also been proposed. Overall, this work provides a valuable basis for the efficient synthesis of FF by solid acid catalyzed conversion of xylose or hemicellulose.
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