Extraction and yeast fermentation of sugar product from cellulose hydrolysis in low acid aqueous system with catalytic accelerator

With the aim to exhibit the advantages of catalytic accelerator in enhancing the selective hydrolysis of cellulose to sugar, cellulose is hydrolyzed in low acid aqueous system with catalytic accelerator. And then sugar products are extracted and fermented by yeast. By the assistance of catalytic accelerator, cellulose conversion rate and total reducing sugar yield are 95.7% and 90.9%. And the glucose yield is as high as 73.6%. The sugar products with high glucose content can be easily extracted from cellulose hydrolysate. Low toxicity of the sugar products to yeast is found during yeast fermentation. The glucose in cellulose hydrolysate can be fully consumed after 12 h. A highly actual ethanol yield is exhibited, which is equal to the actual yield level of standard glucose solution. The important role of catalytic accelerator in aqueous hydrolytic system to produce fermentable sugar is clearly reflected. Furthermore, a simple but effective way is established to efficient utilization of cellulose as an applicable carbon source for the conversion of more value-added chemicals and materials.