Decomposition Of Lignocellulose By Hydrothermal Process For Organic Acids

Biomass is one of the most important renewable sources and expected to be an alternative source for the energy and chemicals in future. Hydrothermal conversion of biomass into convenient and low cost fuels and value-added platform chemical is getting more attentions recently. Here, we studied on the conversion of biomass in hydrothermal condition while water was used as the reaction medium.Both microcrystalline cellulose and wheat straw were used as the raw materials, and the effect of the different reaction conditions on the yield of organic acids were studied. Microcrystalline cellulose and wheat straw in alkaline can be decomposed into small molecular carboxylic acid, such as formic acid, malonic acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid.The yields of acids depend on the materials and reaction condition. A series of experiments ahd been carried out, such as changing reaction time, reaction temperature, concentration of cellulose, and metal catalysts. The result indicated that at280℃,60min,0.7g/L of cellulose are in favor of the microstyalline cellulose decomposed into small molecular carboxylic acids. If some znic powder were added into the system more formic acid are produced but nickel powder has not significant effect on the selectivity of formic acid.On the base of hydrothermal decomposition of microstyalline cellulose in its homogeneous aqueous solution, the hydrothermal decomposition of the wheat straw was investigated. It was found that both NaOH and Ba(OH)2could product a good impact on the yield of lactic acid in the. hydrothermal decomposition. The yield of lactic acid in the reaction is10.35%for1.67mol/L of NaOH,and13.3%for O.lmol/L of Ba(OH)2. In other word, Ba(OH)2is more effective in the hydrothermal reaction of wheat straw. Simultaneously, some of oxalic acid,formic acid and fumaric acid were detected in the reactions.