Process for dissolving cellulose-containing biomass material in an ionic liquid medium

1. A process for dissolving at least part of the cellulose component of a cellulose-containing biomass material, said process comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a biomass material comprising cellulose and minerals;

(ii) subjecting the biomass material to a demineralization treatment in which at least part of the minerals are removed from the biomass material; and

(iii) contacting the at least partially demineralized biomass material from step (ii) with an Ionic Liquid medium, thereby dissolving at least part of the cellulose component of the biomass material, wherein the Ionic Liquid medium comprises a molten salt hydrate, and

wherein the molten salt hydrate comprises a cation selected from the group consisting of Ba, Al, Cu, Cu(NH 3 ) x and Cr.

2. The process of claim 1 comprising the further step (iv) of removing at least part of the dissolved cellulose from the Ionic Liquid medium.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein step (iv) comprises mixing the Ionic Liquid medium with a coagulant to precipitate the dissolved cellulose, and recovering the precipitated cellulose; or wherein step (iv) comprises converting dissolved cellulose to a reaction product that is insoluble in the Ionic Liquid medium, and removing the reaction product from the Ionic Liquid medium.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the cellulose is derivatized prior to precipitation.

5. The process of claim 2 comprising the further step (v) of regenerating the Ionic Liquid medium obtained in step (iv).

6. The process of claim 5 wherein step (v) comprises removing undissolved material from the Ionic Liquid medium.

7. The process of claim 5 wherein step (v) comprises removing excess water from the Ionic Liquid medium.

8. The process of claim 5 comprising the further step of recycling regenerated Ionic Liquid medium to step (iii).

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the process is a continuous process.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the biomass material comprises an aquatic biomass material or a lignocellulosic material.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein step (ii) comprises: (a) contacting the biomass material with a solvent for the minerals; and (b) separating the solvent from the biomass material.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the solvent is an aqueous liquid.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein the solvent comprises an acid or a base.

14. The process of claim 11 wherein step (ii) comprises: (a) swelling the biomass material in the solvent; and (b) removing at least part of the solvent by applying pressure to the biomass material and optionally repeating steps (ii)(a) and (ii)(b) at least once.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein step (ii) is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 25° C. to 200° C.