Numerical Optimization of the Process of Cellulose Isolation by Peroxide Delignification of Birch Wood in Acetic Acid-Water Medium in the Presence of TiO₂ Catalyst

Abstract

The possibility of isolation of high-quality cellulose by peroxide delignification of birch wood in an acetic acid-water medium in the presence of a TiO2 catalyst at a temperature of 100 °C was shown. The influence of the process conditions (concentration of hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, liquid/wood ratio (LWR)) on the yield and composition of cellulose products was established. Numerical optimization of the process was carried out using a full factorial experiment. The optimal conditions for isolation from birch wood a cellulose product with residual lignin content of ≤ 1 wt.% are: СН3СООН concentration 23.8 wt.%, Н2О2 concentration 4.9 wt.%, LWR14.9, temperature 100 °C, time 4 h. Under these optimal conditions, the yield of a cellulose product with a cellulose content of 92.5 wt.% was 49.9 wt.%