Intensified levulinic acid/ester production from cassava by one-pot cascade prehydrolysis and delignification

Weijie Zhao, Yingwen Li, Changhua Song, Sijie Liu, Xuehui Li and Jinxing Long

Applied Energy, 2017, vol. 204, issue C, 1094-1100

Abstract: A novel and efficient process for levulinic acid/ester production from non-edible cassava is proposed via a one-pot cascade processes of prehydrolysis and delignification. The intensification effect of monosaccharide formation (prehydrolysis) and the solvent effect for delignification were investigated extensively. The influences of reaction conditions, such as, reaction temperature, time and catalyst concentration, were examined. The results show that prehydrolysis and delignification have significant promotional effects on levulinic acid/ester production. 60.36% levulinic acid/ester yield at a process efficiency of 88.90% can be obtained at 160°C for 3.0h when cassava is pretreated at 100°C for 1.0h. However, only 32.18% yield and 46.98% process efficiency are observed without prehydrolysis. Characterization of the starting feedstock and residues using compositional analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis demonstrate that efficient lignin removal has a positive influence for levulinic acid/ester formation. Moreover, this process is robust and suitable for scale-up, indicating that it has a great potential for industrial levulinic acid/ester production.

Keywords: Levulinic acid; Cassava; Cascade process; Prehydrolysis; Delignification (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.03.116

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