Effect of delignification on thermal degradation reactivities of hemicellulose and cellulose in wood cell walls

The thermal degradation reactivities of cellulose and hemicellulose are substantially different in Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica , a softwood) and Japanese beech ( Fagus crenata , a hardwood). Uronic acid and its salts act as acid and base catalysts, respectively, and their specific placement in the cell walls has been considered a factor that influences degradation reactivity. In this study, the role of lignin in degradation reactivity...