Aqueous ionic liquid pretreatment of straw

Pretreatment is the key to unlock the recalcitrance of lignocellulose for cellulosic biofuels production. Increasing attention has been drawn to ionic liquids (ILs) for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, because this approach has several advantages over conventional methods. However, cost and energy-intensive recycling of the solvents are major constraints preventing ILs from commercial viability. In this work, a mixture of ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate and water was demonstrated to be effective for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, evidenced by the removal of lignin and a reduction in cellulose crystallinity. A higher fermentable sugar yield (81%) was obtained than for pure ionic liquid pretreatment under the same conditions (67%). Aqueous ionic liquid pretreatment has the advantages of less usage and easier recycling of ILs, and reduced viscosity.