title: Effect of structural characteristics of corncob hemicelluloses fractionated by graded ethanol precipitation on furfural production.
abstract: In the present study, a graded ethanol precipitation technique was employed to obtain hemicelluloses from the alkali-extracted corncob liquid. The relationship between the structural characteristics of alkali-soluble corncob hemicelluloses and the production of furfural was investigated by a heterogeneous process in a biphasic system. Results showed that alkali-soluble corncob hemicelluloses mainly consisted of glucuronoarabinoxylans and L-arabino-(4-O-methylglucurono)-D-xylans, and the drying way had less influence on the sugar composition, molecular weights and the functional groups of hemicelluloses obtained by the different ethanol concentration precipitation except for the thermal property, the amorphous structure and the ability for the furfural production. Furthermore, alkali-soluble corncob hemicelluloses with higher xylose content, lower branch degree, higher polydispersity and crystallinity contributed to the furfural production. A highest furfural yield of 45.41% with the xylose conversion efficiency of 99.06% and the furfural selectivity of 45.84% was obtained from the oven-dried hemicelluloses precipitated at the 30% (v/v) ethanol concentration.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Huiling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Qingqing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: renjunli@scut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Junli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Longfei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Lignocellulosic Chemistry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Lignocellulosic Chemistry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Runcang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Textile & Clothing, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224003, China.
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000737:chemistry; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005662:Furaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012995:Solubility; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009005:Monosaccharides; D010636:Phenols; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012997:Solvents; C033932:2-sec-butylphenol; D014867:Water; D001546:Bentonite; D000431:Ethanol; C007916:hemicellulose; D005662:Furaldehyde; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide
keywords: Alkali-soluble hemicelluloses; Corncob; Furfural; Graded ethanol precipitation; Water-soluble polysaccharides