Chemical Conversion of Biomass Resources to Useful Chemicals and Fuels by Supercritical Fluid Technology

利用超临界流体技术对生物质资源进行了化学转化研究。1）利用超临界流体生物质转化系统对微晶纤维素（avicel）进行了超临界水液化处理。得到的水解产物是葡萄糖，果糖，低聚糖和多糖，其中稀硫酸处理被认为是有效的糖化。然后将得到的单糖成功地发酵得到乙醇。此外，木质素衍生产品可以生产木材在超临界水处理。通过GC-MC分析，发现木质素在超临界甲醇中产生了多种芳香化合物，如愈创木酚、松柏醛等，从而证明了木质素在制备有用化学品方面的巨大潜力。2）在对生物质的超临界甲醇研究中，发现350℃/43 MPa/30 min的处理条件对液化是合适的。在甲醇中从纤维素中得到甲基化纤维三糖和纤维二糖、甲基α-和β-D-葡萄糖苷、左旋葡聚糖和5-羟甲基糠醛，而从软木木质素中回收芳香族化合物如愈创木酚、松柏醇及其γ-甲醚、松柏醛等。在模拟柴油发动机燃烧条件下，在定容燃烧器中对含这些化合物的甲醇可溶部分的可燃性进行了评价，并讨论了柴油燃烧的要求。3）通过这些研究，评价了超临界流体技术将生物质资源转化为有用化学品和燃料的潜力。

A study on chemical conversion of biomass resources to useful chemicals and fuels have heen made by supercritical fluid technology. As a result, the following results were obtained:1) Microcryatalline cellulose (avicel) was treated and liquefied in supercritical water using supercritical fluid biomass conversion system. The obtained hydrolyzed products were glucose, fructose, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides for which dilute sulfuric acid treatment was found to be effective for their saccharitication. The obtained monosaccharides were then successfully fermented to get ethanol. In addition, lignin-derived products could be produced as wood was treated in supercritical water. By GC-MC analysis, a variety of lignin-derived aromatic compounds were found to be produced, such as guaiacol coniferyl-aldehyde etc. Thus, a high potential was demonstrated to produce useful chemicals from lignin.2) In a study of biomass in supercritical methanol, a treatment at 350℃/43MPa/30 min was found to be appropriate to liguefy. The obtained compounds in methanol were methylated cellotriose and cellobiose, methyl α-and β-D-glucosides, levoglucosan and 5-hydroxymethylfurtural from cellulose, while aromatic compounds such as guaiacol, coniferyl alcohol, and its γ-methyl ether, coniferyl aldehyde etc. were recovered from softwood lignin. The methanol-soluble portion containing these compounds were then evaluated for its ignitability under simulated diesel engine conditions in a constant-volume combustior vessel, and the requirements for the diesel combustion were discussed.3) Through these studies, supercritical fluid technology was evaluated for its potentials to convert biomass resources to useful chemicals and fuels.