IONIC LIQUID SYSTEMS FOR THE PROCESSING OF BIOMASS, THEIR COMPONENTS AND/OR DERIVATIVES, AND MIXTURES THEREOF

• US 20110251377A1
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Inventors: Sun, Ning, Qin, Ying, Maxim, Mirela L., Rahman, Mustafizur, Rogers, Robin D.
• Application Number:
  US13/129,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20110251377A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 530/500
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/006 with compounds not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 5/00 Other processes for obtaining cellulose, e.g. cooking cotton linters obtaining fibres for spinning D01C; Processes characterised by the choice of cellulose-containing starting materials

Abstract

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods that involve ionic liquids and biomass. In one aspect, the disclosure relates to ionic liquid systems for the processing of biomass, their components and/or derivatives, and mixtures thereof.

Claims

1. A biomass extraction process comprising:

(a) providing a composition comprising a biomass substantially dissolved in an ionic liquid, the biomass comprising cellulose, lignin, and at least one xylan,

wherein the ionic liquid is substantially free of water; and

(b) separating at least a portion of the at least one xylan from the composition.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the biomass is a lignocellulosic biomass.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the biomass is derived from a natural source.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the biomass is derived from softwood, hardwood, or a combination thereof.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein providing the composition comprises dissolving the biomass in the ionic liquid at a temperature of from about 0°

C. to about 250°

C.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein providing the composition comprises dissolving the biomass in the ionic liquid at a temperature of from about 0°

C. to about 100°

C.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein providing the composition comprises dissolving the biomass in the ionic liquid at a temperature of from about 40°

C. to about 100°

C.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the biomass is substantially separated from the ionic liquid prior to separating at least a portion of the at least one xylan from the composition.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein a biomass non-solvent is added to the composition in an amount effective to substantially precipitate the biomass from the ionic liquid, thereby forming a precipitated biomass.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the at least one xylan is separated from the precipitated biomass using an aqueous basic solution, dimethyl sulfoxide, or a combination thereof.

11. The process of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the lignin is separated from the precipitated biomass using a lignin solvent.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the lignin solvent is an acetone/water mixture.

13. The process of claim 8, wherein a biomass film is formed from the composition, and the ionic liquid is removed from the film.

14. The process of claim 1, further comprising separating at least a portion of the lignin from the composition prior to separating at least a portion of the at least one xylan from the composition.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the lignin is separated from the composition using a water/acetone mixture.

16. The process of claim 1, further comprising separating at least a portion of the cellulose from the composition.

17. The process of claim 1, further comprising separating at least a portion of the ionic liquid from the composition.

18. The process of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid comprises one or more cations and one or more anions and wherein the cations comprise one or more compounds having the formula

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid comprises one or more cations and one or more anions and wherein the one or more cations comprise one or more compounds having the formula:

20. The process of claim 18, wherein the one or more cations comprise an imidazolium ion having the formula:

21. The process of claim 20, wherein R¹ or R² is methyl.

22. The process of claim 20, wherein R¹ is C₁-C₄-alkyl and R² is methyl.

23. The process of claim 20, wherein R³, R⁴, and R⁵ each are H.

24. The process of claim 20, wherein the ionic liquid comprises 1-(C₁-C₆ alkyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium halide.

25. The process of claim 20, wherein the ionic liquid comprises 1-(C₁-C₆ alkyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium C₁-C₆ carboxylate.

26. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one xylan is a component of a hemicellulose that is present in the composition.

27. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one xylan is xylan, glucoronoxylan, arabinoxylan, or a combination thereof.