Effect of Organic Solvent in Ionic Liquid on Biomass Pretreatment

Abstract

Pretreatments of corncob and rice straw with cosolvents of ionic liquids and organic solvents were studied. The effects of the organic solvent type, organic solvent fraction in ionic liquid, and reaction temperature on product yield and properties were also examined. The mixtures of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM-AC)/dimethylacetamide (DMA) at 40–60 vol % DMA added provided relatively similar values of sugar yield and conversion, extracted lignin content, and yield of regenerated biomass compared with those of EMIM-AC. However, the mixtures of EMIM-AC/ethanolamine (60/40 vol %) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM-Cl)/ethanolamine (60/40 vol %) rendered greater enhancements of biomass pretreatment than their ionic liquids. It was also found that various benefits are gained with the use of ionic liquid/organic solvent as a cosolventlow viscosity (giving eases of wash out and handle), more loading of cellulose, and high thermal stability (even operated at high temperature of 150 °C).

Synergistic effect of pretreatment with dimethyl sulfoxide and an ionic liquid on enzymatic digestibility of white poplar and pine

“…In 2011, Rinaldi reported fast dissolution of cellulose in several organic solvents including DMSO in presence of a small amount of EmimAc. 29,33,38,39,45,46 Due to complex interactions between DMSO, IL and biomass components as well as variations of pretreatment conditions, a mechanistic understanding of the role of DMSO in IL pretreatment is still missing. 32,41 Fundamental studies on the interactions between IL and DMSO and their effects on cellulose dissolution have been carried out.…”

Stability studies of ionic liquid [EMIm][NTf2] under short-term thermal exposure

“…3 Well known are water mixtures and the use of protic and aprotic ionic liquids in water science 4 as well as enzymatic biocatalysts for biomass processing. 1,2 Certainly their extremely low vapour pressure may offer advantages in certain applications.…”

A highly efficient dilute alkali deacetylation and mechanical (disc) refining process for the conversion of renewable biomass to lower cost sugars

“…Other leading pretreatment technologies that use sulfur bisulfite (SPORL process) [17,18], ammonia [9,11], organic solvents [19,20] or ionic liquids [20,21] to enable high yields of sugars from biomass suffer from a host of other issues, including recovery of catalysts and solvents and other drawbacks similar to those described for dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment.…”