Kinetic Studies on Wheat Straw Hydrolysis to Levulinic Acid

Levulinic acid is considered as a promising green platform chemical derived from biomass. The kinetics of levulinic acid accumulation in the hydrolysis process of wheat straw was investigated in the study. Using dilute sulfuric acid as a catalyst, the kinetic experiments were performed in a temperature range of 190–230°C and an acid concentration range of 1%–5% (by mass). A simple model of first-order series reactions was developed, which provided a satisfactory interpretation of the experimental results. The kinetics of main intermediates including sugar and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) were also established. The kinetic parameters provided useful information for understanding the hydrolysis process.