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Solid residue and by-product yields from acid-catalysed conversion of poplar wood to levulinic acid

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Marloes PeetersORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

This study examines the yields of solid residue and by-product from the microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic poplar wood for levulinic acid production. The aim of this study was to optimise levulinic acid production via response surface methodology (RSM) and also investigate the effect of reaction conditions on other products such as furfural, solid residue, formic acid and acetic acid yields. A maximum theoretical levulinic acid yield of 62.1% (21.0 wt %) was predicted when reaction conditions were 188 °C, 126 min and 1.93 M sulphuric acid, with a corresponding solid residue yield of 59.2 wt %. Furfural from the hydrolysis of hemicellulose was found to have significantly degraded at the optimum levulinic acid yield conditions. The investigation of formic acid yields revealed lower formic acid yields than stoichiometrically expected, indicating the organic acid reactions under microwave-assisted hydrolysis of lignocellulose. The solid residue yields were found to increase significantly with increasing reaction time and temperature. The solid residue yields under all conditions exceeded that of levulinic acid and, therefore, should be considered a significant product alongside the high-value compounds. The solid residue was further examined using IR spectra, elemental analysis and XRF for potential applications. The overall results show that poplar wood has great potential to produce renewable chemicals, but also highlight all by-products must be considered during optimization.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Hurst G, Brangeli I, Peeters M, Tedesco S

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Chemical Papers

Year: 2020

Volume: 74

Pages: 1647–1661

Print publication date: 01/05/2020

Online publication date: 06/12/2019

Acceptance date: 26/11/2019

Date deposited: 07/12/2019

ISSN (print): 2585-7290

ISSN (electronic): 1336-9075

Publisher: Springer

URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-019-01013-3

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-01013-3


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
CORE-TA-19
RAG 2017/18-113380

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