Conversion of lignocellulose into fermentable sugars using solid acid catalysis � A review

From literature it is depicted that the conversion of biomass to renewable chemicals and fuels is becoming a pivotal research topic for the last few decades. Cellulose is a rich biomass, which is formed by carbon dioxide and water by sunlight. However the efficient chemical conversion of cellulose is considered to be a challenge for the researchers because of its persistent property. A lot of research is carried out on heterogeneous catalyst, among the others, solid acid catalyst are recognized as the most attractive choice for the conversion of cellulose because they are tunable and durable in nature. In this article, an overview of the conversion of cellulose into platform chemicals using the solid acid catalyst is carried out. © 2014 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.