(580a) Bioproducts From Biomass Hemicellulose and Lignin

Despite several decades of intensive research effort, producing biofuels and biochemicals from lignocellulosic biomass feedstock is still not an economically viable proposition at present. Lignocellulosic biomass is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The majority of the existing bioconversion processes, either through themochemical or biochemical route, treat biomass feedstock as a whole at severe conditions. It is recognized the thermo and chemical degradation rates are significantly different among cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. As a consequence, the value of hemicelluloses and lignin from biomass are compromised or diminished in these bioconversion processes. An economically feasible biomass conversion process requires maximizing the potential value of all biomass components. Fractionation of main biomass components prior to themo- or biochemical conversion provides a new process configuration to achieve this goal. This presentation will discuss some recent developments in biomass fractionation process to obtain hemicelluloses and lignin from biomass and potential for biofuels and bioproducts production.