Fuels and Chemicals from Hemicellulose Sugars - Biotechnology in China: Biofuels and Bioenergy - page 199

Fuels and Chemicals from Hemicellulose
Sugars

Xiao-Jun Ji, He Huang, Zhi-Kui Nie, Liang Qu, Qing Xu
and George T. Tsao

Abstract Industrial processes of lignocellulosic material have made use of only
the hexose component of the cellulose fraction. Pentoses and some minor hexoses
present in the hemicellulose fraction, which may represent as much as 40% of
lignocellulosic biomass, have in most cases been wasted. The lack of good
methods for utilization of hemicellulose sugars is a key obstacle hindering the
development of lignocellulose-based ethanol and other biofuels. In this chapter,
we focus on the utilization of hemicellulose sugars, the structure of hemicellulose
and its hydrolysis, and the biochemistry and process technology involved in their
conversion to valuable fuels and chemicals.

Keywords Chemicals Fuels Hemicelluloses Hydrolysis Sugars

Contents

1 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 200

2 Hemicellulose Structure and Hydrolysis .......................................................................... 200

2.1 Hemicellulose Structure............................................................................................ 200

2.2 Hemicellulose Hydrolysis......................................................................................... 201

3 Fuels and Chemicals from Hemicellulose Sugars............................................................ 205

3.1 Ethanol ...................................................................................................................... 205

3.2 Xylitol ....................................................................................................................... 207

3.3 2,3-Butanediol, Methyl ethyl ketone, and 2-Butanol .............................................. 208

3.4 Organic Acids ........................................................................................................... 212

3.5 Others ........................................................................................................................ 216

4 Conclusions and Perspectives ........................................................................................... 217

References ............................................................................................................................... 217

X.-J. Ji H. Huang ( ) Z.-K. Nie L. Qu Q. Xu

State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering,
College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering,
Nanjing University of Technology, No. 5 Xinmofan Rd.,
Nanjing 210009, China
e-mail: [e-mail]
G. T. Tsao
Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering,
Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907, USA

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