Novel biphasic DES/GVL solvent for effective biomass fractionation and valorization

Numerous deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been studied for effective saccharification of cellulose by removing hemicellulose and/or lignin. However, the removed fractions, including lignin and hemicellulose, have not been sufficiently characterized. For a successful biorefinery strategy, valorization of these fractionated portions is as important as cellulose utilization. In this study, a novel biphasic solvent process using DES and & gamma;-valerolactone (GVL) was investigated for efficient glucan saccharification, furfural production, and high-quality lignin recovery. This process dramatically enhanced the enzymatic saccharification of cellulose by significantly removing lignin (88.61%) and xylan (98.67%). Remarkably, the recovered lignin exhibited a well-preserved lignin structure, and the furfural output reached a satisfactory yield of 50.90%. The fractionation mechanism of the biphasic system was comprehensively investigated. This study emphasized that the biphasic DES/GVL system is an ideal solvent to maximize the use of biomass components with high enzymatic saccharification yield, furfural yield, and high-quality lignin as co-products.

Automated summary

A biphasic solvent process combining deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and γ-valerolactone (GVL) was studied for efficient glucan saccharification, furfural production, and lignin recovery. This process significantly enhanced cellulose enzymatic saccharification by removing lignin and xylan, while preserving the structure of recovered lignin and achieving satisfactory furfural yield.