Effects of different pre-extractions combining with chemi-thermomechanical treatments on the enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat straw

• Wheat straw was utilized as one alternative resource to produce fermentable sugars.
• Pre-extractions with chemi-thermomechanical treatment enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis.
• The substrates’ characteristics and morphology were altered obviously.

Three different pre-extraction methods (i.e., acetic acid, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide) were used for the pretreatment followed by chemi-thermomechanical treatments and then enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat straw to produce fermentable sugars. The performance of enzymatic hydrolysis by the synergistic effect of pre-extractions and chemi-thermomechanical treatments was remarkable. Results showed that the pre-extraction combining with the chemi-thermomechanical treatments shorten the enzymatic hydrolysis time and improved the glucose yield at the same enzyme loadings. The chemical components, swelling ability, and crystallinity, as well as the surface morphology of the substrates were changed obviously. All of these changes can affect the accessibility of enzymes to cellulose in the substrates to a certain extent.