Levoglucosenone (LGO) and levoglucosan (LGA) are produced through a one-step reaction involving acid hydrolysis and condensation of cellulose using sulfuric acid. LGA and LGO are precursors for producing cyrene, which can be used as a viscosity enhancer in motors and engines after polymerization.
In this study, the effects of various reaction variables, such as temperature, reaction time, acid concentration, substrate loading, and moisture content, on the production of LGA and LGO were initially evaluated using pure cellulose as a raw material. The optimized conditions using pure cellulose were applied to the lignocellulosic biomass, such as pine wood and bamboo, to evaluate the effects of changes in chemical composition and physical properties on the conversion efficiency and LGO/LGA product selectivity.
