Patent ID: 8415122

Claim:
A method for reducing the recalcitrance of a biomass feedstock comprising: (a) providing a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass feedstock; (b) determining the lignin content in a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock; (c) recalcitrance-reducing the biomass feedstock comprising: (i) to a first portion of the feedstock, irradiating the first portion with an amount of ionizing radiation sufficient to provide depolymerization of the feedstock or cellulose chain scission therein, thereby providing an irradiated first portion containing a recalcitrance-reduced biomass; (ii) saccharifying the irradiated first portion under conditions and for a period of time sufficient therefor, wherein the recalcitrance-reduced biomass provides an increased rate of saccharification relative to the rate of saccharifying a feedstock not having been irradiated; (iii) to a second portion of the feedstock, irradiating the second portion with an amount of ionizing radiation sufficient to provide depolymerization of the feedstock or cellulose chain scission therein, thereby providing an irradiated second portion containing a recalcitrance-reduced biomass, wherein the second portion irradiating amount is the irradiating amount provided to the first portion in step (c) (i) or a dose-adjusted irradiating amount sufficient to provide the recalcitrance-reduced irradiated second portion, said irradiated second portion capable of providing an increased rate of saccharification relative to the rate of saccharifying a feedstock not having been irradiated; and (d) obtaining the saccharified, irradiated first portion or the irradiated second portion, thereby reducing the recalcitrance of the biomass feedstock.