Enhanced enzymatic digestibility of poplar wood by quick hydrothermal treatment

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 302; p. 122795
• Main Authors: Tan, Liping, Liu, Zhongyang, Zhang, Tongtong, Wang, Zhaojiang, Liu, Tongjun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2020
• Subjects: Cellulase; Enzymatic hydrolysis; Hydrolysis; Lignin; Physical structure; Poplar wood; Populus; Quick hydrothermal treatment; Specific surface area; Wood; Specific surface area; Quick hydrothermal treatment; Enzymatic hydrolysis; Poplar wood; Physical structure
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122795

•QHT achieved 82% cellulose conversion from a low cellulase dosage of poplar.•QHT removed >85% hemicelluloses and ~30% lignin in poplar in 5–25 min.•QHT increased crystallinity and special surface area of poplar. To elevate the glucose yield from the enzymatic hydrolysis of poplar wood for bio-ethanol production, quick hydrothermal treatment (QHT) was conducted at 200 °C for a short period of time from 5 min to 25 min. It was found that the QHT could remove >85% of the hemicelluloses and ~30% of the lignin in the poplar wood, and achieve 82% cellulose conversion at a low cellulase dosage of 10 FPU/g substrate. The enhancement digestibility of poplar wood was ascribed to the higher accessibility of cellulose, as the specific surface area of the substrate increased from 3.0 m2/g to 7.1 m2/g from the of untreated wood to the QHT-treated wood. The results demonstrate the improvements in digestibility and hydrolysis rates after QHT.