Influence of the acidity of solid catalyst HSO(3)-ZSM-5 on the hydrolysis of pretreated corncob

This work aimed to investigate the application of a solid acid catalyst, a replacement for mineral acids or enzymes, to biomass conversion for further applications. Sulfonated zeolite, HSO(3)-ZSM-5, was successfully synthesized and characterized by several analysis techniques. The obtained catalyst showed high activity and efficiency in the hydrolysis of pretreated corn cob. Moreover, the acidity of the zeolite product positively influenced the biomass conversion. The influences of reaction parameters such as catalyst loading, reaction time and temperature on the hydrolysis were also established. Under suitable conditions, a hydrolysis yield of ∼54% was achieved. This recyclable solid acid catalyst provided a promising potential for applications in many industrially important hydrolysis processes of biomass.