Lignocellulose Pretreatment Using Acid as Catalyst

Pretreatment is a prerequisite step for bioconversion of lignocellulose into liquid biofuels and chemicals. Among the numerous developed pretreatment methods, acid-catalyzed pretreatment belongs to the predominant technologies which can effectively destroy the rigid structure of lignocellulose and greatly enhance the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose. This chapter reviewed the current progress in lignocellulose pretreatment using acid as catalyst, including inorganic acids (sulfuric acid, SO2, phosphoric acid, HCl, and nitric acid) and organic acids (oxalic acid, maleic acid, and organic acids assisted fractionation), and stressed the novelty and importance of the dry acid pretreatment (DryDA) and the commercial applications of these pretreatment technologies in the established commercial cellulosic ethanol plants.