Cellulose hydrolysis via modified lignosulfonate catalysts

1. A method of synthesizing a microcrystalline biopolymer catalyst, the method comprising:

sulfonating a biopolymer to form a sulfonated biopolymer, wherein the biopolymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulose; hemicellulose; dextrin; and a combination thereof;

freezing the sulfonated biopolymer in liquid nitrogen; and

grinding the sulfonated biopolymer into a microcrystalline powder to form a microcrystalline biopolymer catalyst.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grinding comprises grinding the sulfonated biopolymer to yield a microcrystalline powder having a high surface area in excess of about 1 meter 2 /gram and a polydisperse distribution of molecular weights of about 1,000 Daltons to about 140,000 Daltons.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein sulfonating the biopolymer comprises:

treating the biopolymer with an acid to form a carbocation intermediate; and

treating the carbocation intermediate with bisulfate ions to form a sulfonated biopolymer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein treating the biopolymer with the acid comprises treating with sulfurous acid.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising precipitating the sulfonated biopolymer as a salt.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein precipitating the sulfonated biopolymer comprises adding at least one hydroxide solution selected from calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, beryllium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, radium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

filtering the sulfonated biopolymer salt;

washing the filtered sulfonated biopolymer salt; and

air-drying the sulfonated biopolymer salt.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising adjusting the pH of the sulfonated biopolymer salt to form an acidic sulfonated biopolymer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the pH yields the acidic sulfonated biopolymer that comprises a sulfonated biopolymer with a plurality of pendent acid groups of formula —COOH, a plurality of pendent phenolic alcohol groups of formula —OH, a plurality of pendent sulfonate groups of formula —SO 2 OH, or combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the pH of the sulfonated biopolymer salt comprises adding a dilute mineral acid.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein adding the dilute mineral acid comprises adding hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, boric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, perchloric acid, or combinations thereof.

12. A method of extracting a purified sulfonated biopolymer from sulfite wood pulp, the method comprising:

precipitating a sulfonated biopolymer from the sulfite wood pulp to form a sulfonated biopolymer salt, wherein the biopolymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulose; hemicellulose; dextrin; and a combination thereof;

filtering and washing the sulfonated biopolymer salt to form a purified sulfonated biopolymer salt;

adjusting the pH of the purified sulfonated biopolymer salt to form a purified sulfonated biopolymer in acidic form;

freezing the purified sulfonated biopolymer in acidic form in liquid nitrogen; and

grinding the purified sulfonated biopolymer in acidic form into a microcrystalline powder.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein adjusting the pH of the sulfonated biopolymer salt comprises adding a dilute mineral acid that is hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, boric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, perchloric acid, or combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the grinding step comprises grinding the purified sulfonated biopolymer to yield a microcrystalline powder that has a high surface area in excess of about 1 meter 2 /gram; and

a polydisperse distribution of molecular weights of about 1,000 Daltons to about 140,000 Daltons.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein precipitating the sulfonated biopolymer comprises adding a hydroxide solution.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the precipitating step comprises adding a hydroxide solution selected from calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, beryllium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, radium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the precipitating step comprises precipitating the sulfonated biopolymer with a plurality of pendent acid groups of formula —COOH, a plurality of pendent phenolic alcohol groups of formula —OH, a plurality of pendent sulfonate groups of formula —SO 2 OH, or combinations thereof.