Abstract
The present investigation aims to develop a solid acid-type heterogeneous catalyst for the hydrolysis of biomass using coconut shell, an inexpensive and easily available material, as yet unexplored in this field. Catalyst characterization by scanning electron micrography, X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption has been carried out. Pretreated sawdust from Acacia nilotica heartwood and microcrystalline cellulose were hydrolyzed in aqueous medium using the developed catalyst. Maximum sugar yields of 91% and 93% were obtained on hydrolysis of pretreated sawdust and microcrystalline cellulose, respectively. The principal hydrolysis product was glucose with a selectivity of 98%. These results highlight the potential of the developed catalyst for use in industrial biomass saccharification.
Published Version
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