The Influence of Pretreatment on the Preparation of Fuel Ethanol from Corn Stalk

Abstract

In this research, the effects of three different pretreatment methods, physical pulverizing, steam blasting and hydrogen peroxide oxidizing, on ethanol preparation from corn straw were compared. The results showed that the content of reducing sugar in corn straw briquette with grinding and steam blasting pretreatment were 2 and 1.5 times higher than that without pretreatment. In the final product, the concentration of ethanol and rate of alcohol increased about 3.8 and 2 times, respectively. Besides, the reducing sugar content, ethanol content and alcohol yield in corn stalks soaked in hydrogen peroxide were 7 times higher than the untreated. The cellulose can be effectively isolated after being soaked in hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 2.5% for 72 hours, as well as better degradation of lignin and hemicellulose. The amount of ethanol and the yield of alcohol were 1.9 and 3.3 times higher than physical pulverization and steam blasting. In brief, it is declared that hydrogen peroxide pretreatment can easily destroy the lignocellulosic cellulose of maize straw and improve the conversion rate of cellulose, which might be beneficial for the production of fuel ethanol.