Ionic Solution Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass

Recovery or utilization of glucose solution as a raw material for bioethanol fermentation, from cellulose hydrolysis product, has been widely studied. Lignocellulosic biomass obtained from energy crops, wood, and agricultural residues represents the most abundant global source of renewable biomass. The pretreatment aims to improve the rate of production as well as the total yield of liberated sugars in hydrolysis step. Pretreatment methods such as physical, physicochemical, chemical, and biological methods have been developed and applied for this purpose. Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has developed two chemical pretreatment methods including an ionic solution way, which contains zinc chloride (ZnCl 2 ), and a solid acid catalyst way. Among them, the ionic solution pretreatment has advantages of high sugar yield and low cost compared with others. Therefore, this chapter introduces the main concept of lignocellulosic pretreatment, and the ITRI's ionic solution hydrolysis experience is also particularly reviewed.