Deconstructing lignocellulosic biomass with a two-step method

• Main Authors: WANG XIAOJUAN, FENG HAO, ZHOU BIN, DE FRIAS JOSE ATILIO, WANG BIN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.05.2012
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; ENZYMOLOGY; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SACCHARIDES, OTHER THAN SUCROSE, OBTAINED FROM NATURAL SOURCESOR BY HYDROLYSIS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING DI-, OLIGO- ORPOLYSACCHARIDES; SPIRITS; SUGAR INDUSTRY; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; VINEGAR; WINE

Lignocellulosic biomass is noted for its recalcitrance to deconstruction as a feedstock for biofuel production. A two-step pretreatment method with the aim of enhancing cellulose digestibility, bypassing the traditional severe pretreatment reaction conditions and improving the overall economics of biofuel production is disclosed herein. A 1st pretreatment step is used to partially remove hemicellulose and lignin. A 2nd pretreatment step using electrolyzed water is used to break the crystalline structure and to remove residual hemicellulose and lignin before enzymatic hydrolysis for releasing fermentable sugars. A digestibility of 95% can be achieved by the two-step approach.