Highly porous activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared via simultaneous carbonization and alkali hydroxide activation of fibers electrospun from aqueous alkali lignin (low sulfonate) solutions. The ACFs were >96wt% carbon and had surface area and pore volume as high as 1400 m2/g and 0.9 cm3/g, respectively. The ACFs were sulfonated by reacting with concentrated sulfuric acid to yield high amount of acid sites and only slightly decreased porosity. The sulfonated ACFs were used as solid acid catalysts to hydrolyze the pure cellulose isolated from rice straw under hydrothermal conditions. The effects of cellulose crystallinity, catalysts to celluloses ratio, and the hydrolysis conditions on the yields and compositions of products including nanocelluose and sugars will be presented. 

Solid acid catalysts from lignin based activated carbon fibers

248th National Meeting (2014)

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