Patent ID: 8795993
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: C08B,C12P,D21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A process for producing fermentable sugars from polysaccharide containing biomass, comprising the steps of: treating the biomass with a swelling agent to produce a swelled biomass; contacting the swelled biomass with a derivatization agent to derivatize the polysaccharide contained therein to produce a derivatized polysaccharide with increased accessibility, wherein the derivatized polysaccharide, as compared to a swelled polysaccharide without derivatization, (i) exhibits an increase in a soluble portion as determined by an Enzyme Accessibility Test, and (ii) is substantially insoluble as measured by a Solubility Test; and converting the derivatized polysaccharide to fermentable sugars by hydrolysis; fermenting the fermentable sugars with at least one biocatalyst under suitable fermenting conditions to produce a target chemical; converting a portion of the target chemical into at least one derivatization agent; and feeding at least a portion of the converted derivatization agent back into the step of contacting the swelled biomass with a derivatization agent.