Processes for biomass treatments

Abstract

A process for treatment of lignocellulosic biomasses with a process solvent selected from an eutectic solvent consisting of a hydrogen bond acceptor and of a hydrogen bond donor, an ionic liquid, and a mixture of the eutectic solvent and the ionic liquid, may include: A. mixing the biomasses with the process solvent and possibly separating insoluble cellulose residues and/or inorganic material; B. treating the possibly filtered process solvent solution from step A with water, thereby separating lignin; and C. separating hemicellulose from the mixture of the process solvent and possibly the water. Step C may be carried out by adding an organic solvent soluble in the process solvent and in the water, whereby hemicellulose precipitates and is subsequently separated with conventional techniques from a liquid phase comprising the process solvent, the organic solvent, and possibly the water.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.