Lignocellulose Processing
Lignocellulose Processing - Related Videos
06:19
Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process
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Cited by 7 •
2021
OrganoCat is a method for the pretreatment and fractionation of lignocellulose under mild conditions into lignin, fermentable sugars, and cellulose pulp. In a biogenic, biphasic solvent system of water and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran with 2,5-furancarboxylic acid as catalyst, the OrganoCat products are separated in situ for straightforward product recovery.
10:42
Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass with Low-cost Ionic Liquids
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Cited by 65 •
2016
The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass with protic low-cost ionic liquids is shown, resulting in a delignified cellulose-rich pulp and a purified lignin. The pulp gives rise to high glucose yields after enzymatic saccharification.
11:39
High-throughput Saccharification Assay for Lignocellulosic Materials
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Cited by 13 •
2011
A simple, rapid method for determining the saccharification potential of large numbers of plant biomass samples is described. The automated platform for this analysis involves the preparation of the plant biomass for analysis in 96 well plates and the subsequent performance of pretreatment, hydrolysis and quantification of the sugars released.
14:53
Techniques for the Evolution of Robust Pentose-fermenting Yeast for Bioconversion of Lignocellulose to Ethanol
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Cited by 4 •
2016
Adaptive evolution and isolation techniques are described and demonstrated to yield derivatives of Scheffersomyces stipitis strain NRRL Y-7124 that are able to rapidly consume hexose and pentose mixed sugars in enzyme saccharified undetoxified hydrolyzates and to accumulate over 40 g/L ethanol.
12:04
Comprehensive Compositional Analysis of Plant Cell Walls (Lignocellulosic biomass) Part I: Lignin
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Cited by 327 •
2010
Plant biomass is a major carbon-neutral renewable resource that could be used for the production of biofuels. Plant biomass consists mainly of cell walls, a structurally complex composite material termed lignocellulosics. Here we describe a protocol for a comprehensive analysis of the content and composition of the polyphenolic lignin.
FAQs
Lignin forms a protective matrix around cellulose and hemicellulose, so enzymes and chemical reagents cannot readily reach the carbohydrate fractions. Pretreatment changes this physical and chemical barrier by disrupting lignin and carbohydrate linkages. Improving access is important because subsequent hydrolysis can then release more fermentable sugars from the biomass rather than leaving carbohydrates structurally inaccessible.
These approaches use different treatment conditions to alter the associations among lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Alkaline, acidic, and steam-based methods can each improve access to carbohydrate fractions, but their effects on biomass structure and potential byproduct formation may differ. Comparing them helps researchers select a pretreatment strategy that supports sugar release while preserving useful material for later conversion.
More severe disruption is not automatically better. Conditions must open the biomass structure sufficiently for hydrolysis while limiting the formation of inhibitory byproducts that can interfere with later sugar conversion or fermentation-related processing. This balance directly affects the quality of the hydrolysate, the efficiency of downstream steps, and the overall usefulness of the recovered carbohydrates.
Hydrolysis converts accessible cellulose and hemicellulose fractions into usable sugars after pretreatment has opened the biomass structure. Chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis can be selected according to the processing strategy, with enzymes providing a route for releasing fermentable sugars from exposed carbohydrates. The resulting sugar stream can support later production of fuels, chemicals, or other bioproducts.
A typical workflow begins by applying physical or chemical pretreatment to disrupt the protective biomass structure. The treated material then undergoes chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis to release sugars, while processing conditions are managed to limit inhibitory byproducts. Depending on the objective, the resulting fractions may be directed toward fermentable sugars, fibers, fuels, chemicals, or material production.
Biomass fractionation is useful when the goal is to recover multiple valuable components instead of focusing only on fermentable sugars. Pretreatment and hydrolysis can help make carbohydrate fractions accessible while supporting the separate use of fibers and other biomass-derived streams. This approach broadens the process output and improves the potential efficiency of renewable carbon utilization.
In chemistry, the process provides a route for transforming plant-derived carbon into fuels, chemicals, fibers, and other materials. It also offers a framework for studying how treatment conditions change lignin and carbohydrate linkages and how those changes affect product recovery. These applications connect biomass fractionation with efforts to develop alternatives to petroleum-derived materials and use renewable carbon resources more efficiently.