Microwave-assisted acid and base pre-treatment of cellulose hydrolysis

Abstract

Abstract:The objective of this study is to hydrolysis the cellulose to glucose. The dilute acidand base hydrolysis of cellulose with hydrochloric, sulfuric acids sodium hydroxide andpotassium hydroxide were undertaken alone, The conditions for the dilute acid and basehydrolysis were found to be 5% for both acids and bases at a temperature of 170°C and time 2hours.It was found that the glucose yield by acid hydrolysis was 7.8% and by basehydrolysis was 8% .Then the dilute acid hydrolysis of cellulose with hydrochloric & sulfuricacids and the dilute base hydrolysis of cellulose with sodium and potassium hydroxide wereundertaken in microwave oven for ten minutes only.The experimental data indicate that the use of microwave technology can successfullyfacilitate dilute acid hydrolysis and the dilute base hydrolysis of cellulose allowing highyields of glucose in short reaction times.These conditions gave a yield of 57% and 58% glucose by acids and base hydrolysisrespectively. The microwave is the promising way to increase the glucose yield from