Conversion of chicory to valuable chemical LA and by-products with LABSA and BSA

This work examined the hydrothermal breakdown of biomass to platform chemicals, including acetic acid (AA), formic acid (FA), 5-hydroxy methylfurfural (5-HMF), and levulinic acid (LA). Chicory was selected as feedstock bacause of high potential to produce . Reactions were performed with BSA (Benzenesulfonic acid) and LABSA (Linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid) as sulfonic acid catalysts. The studies were conducted with different catalyst concentrations (100, 300, and 600 mM) for 110 minutes at 200 °C with a biomass to solvent ratio of 1g/25 mL. The variation of product yield and composition on parameters such as time, sulfonic acid concentration and type were investigated. The maximum levulinic acid yields (wt.%) achieved through the experiments of this study were 23.95 wt.% (9.58 g/L) for 600 mM BSA and 85.93 wt.% (34.37 g/L) for 600 mM LABSA at 200 °C. Highest carbon-based yields of levulinic acid were obtained with 300 mM LABSA and 100 mM BSA.