Production of carbohydrates

• US 4,321,360 A
• Filed: 05/21/1981
• Issued: 03/23/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David H. Blount
• Original Assignee: David H. Blount
• Inventors: Blount, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Ronald W.
• Application Number:
  US06/265,701
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 536/1, 536/101
• US Class Current: 536/128
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 1/08 Alkali cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 12/40 Chemically modified polycondensates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 16/0293 with natural products, oils, bitumens, residues
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6492 Lignin containing materials; Wood resins; Wood tars; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 8/28 Chemically modified polycondensates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 85/00 General processes for preparing compounds provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 6/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignin, e.g. tannins, humic acids

Abstract

Cellulose-containing plants are broken down by mixing with an alkali metal hydroxide, then heated to 150° C. to 220° C. while agitating for 5 to 60 minutes, thereby producing a broken-down alkali metal cellulose-containing plant polymer, then mixed with an acid compound until the pH is 5 to 7, thereby producing a lignin-cellulose resinous product and a mixture of carbohydrates.

Claims

1. The process for the production of carbohydrates by the following steps:

(a) mixing 2 parts by weight of a cellulose-containing plant with 1 to 3 parts by weight of a melted alkali metal hydroxide, then

(b) agitating the mixture at 150°

C. to 220°

C. for 5 to 60 minutes, thereby

(c) producing a water-soluble broken-down alkali cellulose polymer, then

(d) adding a salt-forming compound in an aqueous solution until the pH is 5 to 6.5, thereby producing a non-water-soluble lignin-cellulose polymer, carbon dioxide and an aqueous solution of carbohydrates and salt, then

(e) filtering off the lignin-cellulose polymer and recovering the aqueous solution of carbohydrates and salt.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the salt-forming compound is a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

4. The process of claim 1 when water is added in step (c) of claim 1 in an amount sufficient to produce a solution containing 20% to 70% solids.