New catalytic processes for a sustainable chemistry of cellulose production from wood biomass

Abstract

The present paper describes the results of studies directed to novel catalytic processes design for the environmentally friendly production of cellulose. The new delignification catalyst which is produced by chemical interaction of elemental sulfur with hydrazine in superbase medium was used for the improvement of efficiency and ecological purity of the conventional pulping process. This catalyst reduces the concentration of polysulfides in pulping liquor and the yield of side sulfur-containing compounds (by 1.5 times). The processes of wood delignification with sulfur-free reagents based on catalytic pulping with acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide and on the delignification of steam-activated wood with NaOH or Na2CO3 solutions have prospects for the environmentally benign production of cellulose. The new catalytic process of vanillin production by oxidation of lignosulfonates with molecular oxygen was described.