DEVELOPMENT OF TEMPERATURE-RESPONSIVE BIO-AND CHEMICAL CATALYSTS FOR THE HYDROLYSIS OF LIGNOCELLULOSE

Abstract

DEPLETION OF FOSSIL FEEDSTOCK HAS STIMULATED TREMENDOUS EFFORTS TOWARDS USING SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FUELS AND CHEMICALS. LIGNOCELLULOSE IS ABUNDANT FEEDSTOCK. HOWEVER, THE EFFICIENT CONVERSION OF LIGNOCELLULOSE INTO SUGARS REMAINS AS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE. THIS THESIS AIMS TO DEVELOP NOVEL TEMPERATURE-RESPONSIVE IMMOBILIZED ENZYME AND SOLID ACID CATALYST FOR THE HYDROLYSIS OF LIGNOCELLULOSE.

FIRSTLY, A NOVEL POLYMERIC TEMPERATURE-RESPONSIVE NANOBIOCATALYST WITH AN UPPER CRITICAL SOLUTION TEMPERATURE (UCST) WAS DEVELOPED. HYDROLYSIS OF FILTER PAPER AND PRE-TREATED PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH (EFB) WITH THE NANOBIOCATALYSTS GAVE 97% AND 93% GLUCOSE YIELD, RESPECTIVELY. SECONDLY, A NOVEL CONCEPT OF ONE-POT SEQUENTIAL PRETREATMENT AND ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF LIGNOCELLULOSE IN IONIC LIQUID WAS DEVELOPED. PRETREATMENT OF PEFB IN 1-ETHYL-3-METHYLIMIDAZOLIUM ACETATE AT 130?C, FOLLOWED BY HYDROLYSIS WITH THE NANOBIOCATALYSTS AT 50?C GAVE 94% GLUCOSE YIELD. THIRDLY, THE FIR