title: Unconventional Pretreatment of Lignocellulose with Low-Temperature Plasma.
abstract: Lignocellulose represents a potential supply of sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels and chemicals. There is, however, an important cost and efficiency challenge associated with the conversion of such lignocellulosics. Because its structure is complex and not prone to undergo chemical reactions very easily, chemical and mechanical pretreatments are usually necessary to be able to refine them into the compositional building blocks (carbohydrates and lignin) from which value-added platform molecules, such as glucose, ethylene glycol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and levulinic acid, and biofuels, such as bioderived naphtha, kerosene, and diesel fractions, will be produced. Conventional (wet) methods are usually polluting, aggressive, and highly energy consuming, so any alternative activation procedure of the lignocellulose is highly recommended and anticipated in recent and future biomass research. Lignocellulosic plasma activation has emerged as an interesting (dry) treatment technique. In the long run, in particular, in times of fairly accessible renewable electricity, plasma may be considered as an alternative to conventional pretreatment methods, but current knowledge is too little and examples too few to guarantee that statement. This review therefore highlights recent knowledge, advancements, and shortcomings in the field of plasma treatment of cellulose and lignocellulose with regard to the (structural and chemical) effects and impact on the future of pretreatment methods.
authors.affiliation: Materials Department, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.|Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200f, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanneste
authors.affiliation: Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200f, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ennaert
authors.affiliation: Materials Department, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanhulsel
authors.affiliation: Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200f, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sels
mesh_terms: D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry*; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D058626:Plasma Gases; C036909:lignocellulose; D008031:Lignin
keywords: biomass; lignocellulose pretreatment; plasma chemistry; sustainable chemistry; synthesis design