Abstract
Starch is a promising feedstock for the synthesis of chemical intermediates like levulinic acid (LA), but the role played by the amylose–amylopectin ratio of starch in LA yields has not been investigated so far. In this work, corn starch was fractionated using the aqueous leaching–alcohol precipitation method, and the morphological and thermal degradation characteristics of the amylose and amylopectin obtained were studied. A comparison of the results of acid-catalysed hydrolysis of the original starch and the fractions showed that differences in granule size, solubility, and susceptibility to acid hydrolysis are the main factors affecting LA yields. Amylopectin yielded LA at faster rates at 150 and 165°C than amylose, which is a factor that may influence the selection of starches for the production of LA at an industrial scale.
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