Furfural produced from bamboo by a 2-step method at atmospheric pressure .

Xiaofang Li, Qin Liu, Lincai P

Abstract

Process conditions of furfural produced from bamboo by a 2-step method at atmospheric pressure were studied. The first hydrolysis step of bamboo hemicellulose was researched by the experimental factors such as liquid-solid ratio, reaction time, and volume fraction of organic solvent, volume fraction of sulfuric acid and so on. In the optimum conditions: liquid-solid ratio of 14mL • g-1, reaction time 4h, volume fraction of organic solvent 60%, volume fraction of sulfuric acid 5%, hemicellulose hydrolysis rate was 78.68% and xylose yield was 51.93%. Experimental factors, initial xylose concentration, initial acidity, reaction time, and co-catalyst species were studied in the second step of the process. When the conditions of initial xylose concentration, initial acidity and reaction time were 15g/L, 10% and 2h, respectively, with NaCl as co-catalyst specie, furfural yield can reached 90.63%.