Fractionation of sugarcane bagasse using a combined process of dilute acid and ionic liquid treatments.
Biorefineries processing lignocellulose will produce chemicals and fuels from chemical constituents, cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin to replace fossil-derived products. Fractionation of sugarcane bagasse into three pure streams of chemical constituents was addressed through dissolution of constituents with the ionic liquids, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMiM]CH(3)COO) or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methyl sulfate ([BMiM]MeSO(4)). Constituents were isolated from the reaction mixture with the anti-solvents acetone (Ā), acetone-water (AW), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Delignification was enhanced by NaOH, although resulting in impure product streams. Xylose pre-extraction (75 % w/w) by dilute acid pretreatment, prior to ionic liquid treatment, improved lignin purity after anti-solvent separation. Fractionation efficiency of the combined process was maximized (84 %) by ionic liquid treatment at 125 °C for 120 min, resulting in 80.2 % (w/w) lignin removal and 76.5 % (w/w) lignin recovery. Ionic liquids achieved similar degrees of delignification, although fully digestible cellulose-rich solids were produced only by [EMiM]CH(3)COO treatment.
Department of Process Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa.
Danie
D
Diedericks
Eugéne
E
van Rensburg
Johann F
JF
Görgens
D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005591:Chemical Fractionation / Q000379:methods*; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031786:Saccharum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D012997:Solvents; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014994:Xylose / Q000494:pharmacology
D052578:Ionic Liquids; D012997:Solvents; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D002482:Cellulose; C027433:bagasse; D014994:Xylose; C033158:sulfuric acid