Cellulosic biomass pretreatment and sugar yields as a function of biomass particle size

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 6; p. e100836
• Main Authors: Dougherty, Michael J, Tran, Huu M, Stavila, Vitalie, Knierim, Bernhard, George, Anthe, Auer, Manfred, Adams, Paul D, Hadi, Masood Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.06.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accessibility; Acids; Acids - pharmacology; Alternative energy sources; Ammonia; BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; Biodiesel fuels; Bioengineering; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomass; Biotechnology; Carbohydrates - biosynthesis; Cell Wall - drug effects; Cell Wall - ultrastructure; Cell walls; Cellulase; Cellulose; Composition effects; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Crystallization; Dilution; Efficiency; Electron microscopy; Engineering and Technology; Enzymes; Ionic liquids; Ionic Liquids - pharmacology; Ions; Laboratories; Lignin; Lignocellulose; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nitrogen - chemistry; Nitrogen - metabolism; Panicum virgatum; Particle Size; Physical properties; Poaceae - chemistry; Poaceae - metabolism; Pretreatment; Saccharification; Scanning electron microscopy; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Sugar; Surface area; Synthetic biology
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100836

Three lignocellulosic pretreatment techniques (ammonia fiber expansion, dilute acid and ionic liquid) are compared with respect to saccharification efficiency, particle size and biomass composition. In particular, the effects of switchgrass particle size (32-200) on each pretreatment regime are examined. Physical properties of untreated and pretreated samples are characterized using crystallinity, surface accessibility measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. At every particle size tested, ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment results in greater cell wall disruption, reduced crystallinity, increased accessible surface area, and higher saccharification efficiencies compared with dilute acid and AFEX pretreatments. The advantages of using IL pretreatment are greatest at larger particle sizes (>75 µm).