CLEAVAGE OF ACETYL GROUPS FROM NORTHEAST HARDWOOD FOR ACETIC ACID PRODUCTION, 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference

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This paper relates to the recovery of acetic acid in Kraft pulp mills. Acetyl groups in wood hemicelluloses can be hydrolyzed using alkali to form alkali acetate which is a precursor to acetic acid. The objective of the study reported here is to identify the optimum conditions for cleavage of acetyl groups from wood hemicelluloses for possible conversion to acetic acid. Experimental data are presented for the extraction of commercial northeast hardwood chips using alkali streams that are available in the kraft pulp mills; caustic, green liquor and white liquor. In this work, the effects of extraction time, chip soaking temperature, alkali concentration and extraction temperature are investigated.