Efficient Mechanochemical-Assisted Production of Glucose from Cellulose in Aqueous Solutions by Carbonaceous Solid Acid Catalysts

Abstract

A carbonaceous solid acid catalyst with −Cl and −SO3H groups was facilely synthesized in one step by the co-carbonization of sucralose and p-toluenesulfonic acid. The as-prepared carbonaceous solid acid catalyst was used for the hydrolysis of cellulose into glucose in aqueous solutions. When the cellulose was first mixed with the as-prepared catalyst by ball milling, the cellulose hydrolysis process provided a glucose yield of 52.8% in pure water at 200 °C within 1 h, and the glucose yields increased to 71.9% and 88.0% in dilute 0.02 wt % H2SO4 and HCl (with same proton content) aqueous solutions, respectively. The excellent catalytic activity for the production of glucose from cellulose was ascribed to the decreased degree of crystallinity of the cellulose and the improved contact between the active sites in the catalyst and the β-1,4-glycosidic bonds in the cellulose molecules due to the ball-milling pretreatment. Moreover, the as-prepared carbonaceous solid acid catalyst exhibited relatively stable catalytic activity over five cycles. This paper provides a promising strategy for the high-yield production of glucose from cellulose hydrolysis in aqueous solutions, and it offers wide application for the transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into valuable chemicals.