Comparison of Formic and Sulfuric Acids as a Glucose Decomposition Catalyst

Abstract

Dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis of cellulose is the oldest and a well-studied technology for converting biomass to ethanol. Despite continuous technology improvements, the process still gives only a moderate selectivity due to glucose decomposition in the cellulose hydrolysis conditions. According to the recent literature, carboxylic acids have been recognized as more selective acid hydrolysis catalysts than sulfuric acid in low hydrogen ion concentrations. In this paper, formic acid was compared to sulfuric acid as a glucose decomposition catalyst at values below pH 2.2 at 180−220 °C. It was found that glucose decomposition depends only on the hydrogen ion concentration in the prevailing reaction conditions and is independent of the hydrogen ion source. Earlier contradictory findings can be the consequence of ignoring the temperature function of the dissociation constants of the acids and setting hydrogen ion concentrations at room temperature.