Abstract
Microwave pre-treatment of woody biomass may be the key to unlocking an energy efficient process for the production of renewable chemicals and fuels. Here we investigated the dipolar polarisation mechanism of polar solvents, ranging from dilute aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol, isopropyl alcohol, formaldehyde and water-only, to improve the efficiency of MW pre-treatment of woody biomass. The optimal conditions were 3.7 wt% FA solution for 10 min at 180 °C, where heating rate was accelerated by 50%, saccharification of biomass increased by 56% and stabilised lignin monomers were produced compared to water-only. Autoclave pre-treatment of woody biomass released 3 to 6 times less sugar yield in the presence of water-only and 3.7 wt% FA compared to MW irradiation. Our efficient method can potentially produce three streams of building blocks – cellulose fibres, solvated hemicellulose and stabilised lignin – for transformation into renewable products.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
