Session: Recalcitrance of Woody Biomass

Woody biomass contains cellulose which is a highly stable polymer of gluco-pyranoses. Cellulose in forest biomass is mostly in a crystalline state and is exceedingly stable to chemical degradation. The reactivity barrier to cellulose degradation and hydrolysis is known as its recalcitrance and is the major technological barrier to economic implementations of products based on cellulose degradation. This session focuses on the recalcitrance of woody biomass, a key component of which is cellulose.