Effective Dissolution of Biomass in Ionic Liquids by Irradiation of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

Abstract

Biomass was dissolved in ionic liquids under non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma irradiation. On plasma irradiation, the amount of dissolved biomass in the ionic liquids increased from 15 to 29 mg for bagasse and from 26 to 36 mg for Japanese cedar. The high solubility was attributed to the deconstruction of the lignin network by active chemical species generated by the plasma. Selective extraction of cellulose from biomass was observed under plasma irradiation.