Mechanisms of surfactant JFC-M-assisted dilute phosphoric acid plus steam explosion of poplar wood

In this paper, mechanisms of a surfactant namely JFC-M assisting the dilute phosphoric acid plus steam explosion poplar were studied. During the impregnation process, the employment of JFC-M boosted the weight gains and impregnation degrees of poplar using dilute phosphoric acid as an impregnating solution, which was beneficial for the subsequent steam explosion. Besides assisting in altering the structure, porosity, and surface of pores in poplar, the addition of JFC-M reduced the block effect on feedstock, increasing the connectivity of aperture channels, which was identified by a mercury intrusion porosimetry method. The FTIR results revealed that JFC-M improved the removal of hemicellulose and acetyl groups. In addition, the crystallinity of feedstock was also changed and determined by an X-ray diffractometer. The CrI value increased from 44.2% (untreated) to 62.1% (2.0% H₃PO₄ + 2.0% JFC-M DPASE). The 2D-HSQC NMR analysis confirmed that JFC-M promoted lignin removal as well as structural changes. All of these findings were designed to establish a foundation for subsequent investigative efforts within the discipline.