Cellulose hydrolysis reactor incorporating stirring apparatus for use with carbon-based solid acid catalyst

Abstract

A highly efficient reactor with a stirring device was specially designed with the intent of performing the hydrolysis of pure crystalline cellulose using a carbon-based solid acid catalyst. This catalyst comprised an amorphous carbon-based material bearing –SO3H, –COOH and –OH groups. The stirring apparatus had seven blades coated with polytetrafluoroethylene and arranged axially at regular intervals with a 60° offset. This design proved highly effective, providing double the glucose yield compared with conventional stirring systems. The basic properties of this novel reactor were investigated and analyzed and are discussed herein.

Keywords

• Reactor
• Stirring apparatus
• Solid-solid interface reaction
• Carbon-based solid acid catalyst
• Cellulose hydrolysis