Mild and efficient extraction of hardwood hemicellulose using recyclable formic acid/water binary so

Scientific achievement

  Hemicellulose of poplar wood can be extracted in high yield without extensive degradation of cellulose by using formic acid/water binary solvent at mild conditions. Extraction at 90 °C shows excellent xylan selectivity as suggested by remarkable xylose fraction in total saccharides of 81.72% with xylose yield of 73.14%. Mass balance shows that xylan degradation leads to formation of undesired compounds with a tiny fraction of furfural.

Research details

  To promote hemicellulose extraction and suppress cellulose degradation, formic acid level of 72%, temperatures from 90 to 140 °C and  reaction time from 0.5 h to 10 h were chosen for process development. The present work was carried out to verify the assumption that the chosen level of 72% is effective for hemicellulose extraction from lignocelluloses as result of synergistic effects of lignin dissolution and polysaccharides hydrolysis.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.094