Kinetic modeling of atmospheric formic acid pretreatment of wheat straw with “potential degree of reaction” models

Abstract

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass by aqueous formic acid pertains to a biomass fractionation process to obtain multi-products for biorefining. In the present work, wheat straw was pretreated by aqueous formic acid under atmospheric pressure. The kinetics of delignification and polysaccharide solubilization were investigated using novel “potential degree of reaction” models, which were developed based on the multilayered structure of plant cell wall and reaction severity. Parameters termed as “potential degree of delignification (d_D)” and “potential degree of solubilization (d_S)” were introduced into the kinetic models for delignification and polysaccharide solubilization, respectively. The models fitted the experimental results very well. These models were also applicable as general models for describing the kinetics of various chemical pretreatments of different biomass feedstocks.