Simultaneous delignification and selective catalytic transformation of agricultural lignocellulose in cooperative ionic liquid pairs

Abstract

Catalytic transformation of readily available widely distributed and renewable non-food lignocelluloses to value-added chemicals has been recognized as an efficient approach for the alleviation of the increasing energy crisis and climate change. An efficient catalytic transformation process for agricultural residual lignocelluloses in cooperative ionic liquid pairs was achieved. The promotion of the dissolution equilibrium, combined with rapid, in situ acid-catalyzed degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose, resulted in significantly greater conversion of the biomass to biochemicals and selective delignification through further comparative analyses of the raw materials, products and residues by GC-MS, GPC, FT-IR, SEM and elemental characterization.