Lignocellulose saccharification: historical insights and recent industrial advancements towards 2nd generation sugars

Abstract

This study explores the initial industrial development of saccharification technologies, with a primary focus on hydrochloric acid (HCl) saccharification of biomass, particularly wood chips. It traces the historical progress from early 20th-century research to modern advancements, emphasizing the challenges, failures and successes in scaling up these processes. The work details the structural composition of wood, i.e. cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and explains the mechanisms of their hydrolysis. Additionally, it reviews various methods for hydrolyzing wood chips into saccharides, including besides HCl-based methods also sulfuric acid hydrolysis, as well as other methods such as enzymatic hydrolysis and more recent technologies. This review highlights the industrial attempts to bring these technologies to scale, providing insights into the technological advancements and hurdles faced. As developers of Avantium's DAWN Technology, we introduce our optimized hydrochloric acid saccharification process, which enhances efficiency and addresses historical challenges. This comprehensive overview not only documents the historical and technical aspects of biomass saccharification but also underscores the importance of continued innovation in this field.