Treatment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018327969-A1
Application number	US-201815946486-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an improved method for treating a lignocellulose biomass in order to dissolve the lignin therein, while the cellulose does not dissolve. The cellulose pulp obtained can be used to produce glucose. In addition the lignin can be isolated for subsequent use in the renewable chemical industry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of treating a biomass to dissolve the lignin therein, but not the cellulose, the method comprising:
(a) contacting the lignocellulose biomass with a composition comprising an ionic liquid to produce a cellulose pulp, wherein the ionic liquid comprises
(i) a cation of Formula I

wherein A 1 to A 4 are each independently selected from H, an aliphatic, C 3-6 carbocycle, C 6-10 aryl, alkylaryl, and heteroaryl; and

(ii) an anion selected from C 1-20 alkyl sulfate [AlkylSO 4 ] − , C 1-20 alkylsulfonate [AlkylSO 3 ] − , hydrogen sulfate [HSO 4 ] + , hydrogen sulfite [HSO 3 ] − , dihydrogen phosphate [H 2 PO 4 ] − , hydrogen phosphate [HPO 4 ] 2− and acetate, [MeCO 2 ] − , wherein if the anion is acetate then the composition further comprises 10-40% v/v water.

2 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of A 1 to A 4 is not H.

3 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of A 1 to A 4 is H.

4 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cation is an alkylammonium or mixture thereof.

5 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cation is an alcoholammonium or mixture thereof.

6 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the anion is selected from [MeSO 4 ] − , acetate, chloride, [HSO 4 ] − and [MeSO 3 ] − .

7 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cation is selected from trimethylammonium, triethylammonium, triethanolammonium, diethylammonium, diisopropylammonium, diethanolammonium, methylammonium, ethylammonium, monoethanolammonium, and diethylbenzylammonium.

8 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ionic liquid is alkylammonium hydrogen sulfate.

9 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ionic liquid is triethylammonium hydrogen sulfate [HSO 4 ] − , diethylammonium hydrogen sulfate [HSO 4 ] − , or ethylammonium hydrogen sulfate [HSO 4 ] − .

10 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the anion is not acetate and the composition comprises 5-40% v/v water.

11 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ionic liquid further comprises 0.01-20% v/v acid.

12 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lignocellulose biomass is contacted with the composition at 100-180° C.

13 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lignocellulose biomass is contacted with the composition for 15 min-24 hours.

14 . A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising
(b) separating the ionic liquid from the pulp produced in (a).

15 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the biomass is contacted with the composition prior to mechanical processing.

16 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the biomass is contacted with the composition after mechanical processing.

17 . A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of washing the pulp with water or an organic solvent which is miscible with the ionic liquid.

18 . A method as claimed in claim 14 further comprising
(c) adding an anti-solvent to the ionic liquid obtained in (b) to precipitate out the dissolved lignin;
(d) separating the precipitated solid from the anti-solvent/ionic liquid; and
(e) removing the anti-solvent from the ionic liquid obtained in (d),
wherein the anti-solvent is water.

19 . Purified lignin made by the method of claim 18 .

20 . A process of preparing glucose from a lignocellulose biomass comprising subjecting a cellulose pulp obtainable by the method of claim 1 to enzymatic hydrolysis.

21 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cation is selected from trimethylammonium, triethylammonium, triethanolammonium, diethylammonium, diisopropylammonium, diethanolammonium, methylammonium, ethylammonium, monoethanolammonium, N,N-dimethylbutylammonium and diethylbenzylammonium.

22 . A method of treating a biomass to dissolve the lignin therein, but not the cellulose, the method comprising:
(a) contacting the lignocellulose biomass with a composition comprising an ionic liquid to produce a cellulose pulp, wherein the ionic liquid comprises
(i) a cation of Formula I

wherein A 1 to A 4 are each independently selected from H, an aliphatic, C 3-6 carbocycle, C 6-10 aryl, alkylaryl, and heteroaryl; and

(ii) an anion selected from C 1-20 alkyl sulfate [AlkylSO 4 ] − , C 1-20 alkylsulfonate [AlkylSO 3 ] − , hydrogen sulfate [HSO 4 ] − , hydrogen sulfite [HSO 3 ] − , dihydrogen phosphate [H 2 PO 4 ] − , hydrogen phosphate [HPO 4 ] 2− , chloride and acetate, [MeCO 2 ] − , wherein if the anion is acetate then the composition further comprises 10-40% v/v water.

Assignees

• Imperial Innovations Ltd

Inventors

• Hallett Jason P
• Welton Tom
• Brandt Agnieszka

Classifications

• C12P19/02

  Monosaccharides (2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60) · CPC title

• C12P2201/00

  Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis · CPC title

• D21C1/04

  with acid reacting compounds · CPC title

• D21C3/003 Primary

  with organic compounds (D21C3/20 and D21C3/222 take precedence) · CPC title

• D21C3/20

  with organic solvents {or in solvent environment} · CPC title