2G Ethanol Production from a Cellulose Derivative

The conversion of cellulose into glucose has been a major challenge in improving the competitiveness of 2G ethanol production due to the inefficiency of pre-treatment and the high degree of crystallinity of the cellulose. This study examined the effect of replacing cellulose hydroxyl groups with acetyl groups on the hydrolysis yield. Cellulose compounds and cellulose acetate were characterized using FTIR, and the degree of substitution of the cellulose acetate was determined chemically. The crystallinity of the materials was analyzed using X-ray diffraction. The results of the hydrolysis reaction analysis showed that the substitution of hydroxyl groups in cellulose with acetyl groups favored acid hydrolysis, yielding high glucose yields. For the fermentation test of the hydrolysate, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was used. Fermentation reached values close to maximum efficiency. These results open up new avenues for acid hydrolysis based on the chemical modification of cellulose.: