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Two-Stage Fractionation of Corn Stover Using Aqueous Ammonia and Hot Water

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Abstract

Hot water and aqueous ammonia fractionation of corn stover were used to separate hemicellulose and lignin and improve enzymatic digestibility of cellulose. A two-stage approach was used: The first stage was designed to recover soluble lignin using aqueous ammonia at low temperature, while the second stage was designed to recover xylan using hot water at high temperature. Specifically, the first stage employed a batch reaction using 15 wt.% ammonia at 60 °C, in a 1:10 solid:liquid ratio for 8 h, while the second stage employed a percolation reaction using hot water, 190–210 °C, at a 20 ml/min flow rate for 10 min. After fractionation, the remaining solids were nearly pure cellulose. The two-stage fractionation process achieved 68% lignin purity with 47% lignin recovery in the first stage, and 78% xylan purity, with 65% xylan recovery in the second stage. Two-stage treatment enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis of remaining cellulose to 96% with 15 FPU/g of glucan using commercial cellulase enzymes. Enzyme hydrolyses were nearly completed within 12–24 h with the remaining solids fraction.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Genencor International Inc. for providing cellulase enzymes. We would also like to thank the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for supplying the corn stover. This work was supported by Iowa State University and by a grant from Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation (2008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, 3101 NSRIC, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Chang Geun Yoo & Tae Hyun Kim

  2. Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Tae Hyun Kim

  3. Department of Automotive Engineering, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, 150 Chilamdong, 660-758, Jinju, Gyeongsangnamdo, South Korea

    Chi-Woo Lee

  4. Green Technology Institute, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, 150 Chilamdong, 660-758, Jinju, Gyeongsangnamdo, South Korea

    Chi-Woo Lee

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  1. Chang Geun Yoo
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  2. Chi-Woo Lee
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Correspondence to Tae Hyun Kim.

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Yoo, C.G., Lee, CW. & Kim, T.H. Two-Stage Fractionation of Corn Stover Using Aqueous Ammonia and Hot Water. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 164, 729–740 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-011-9169-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-011-9169-3

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