Rice Straw (Oryza sativa L.) Biomass Conversion to Furfural, 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, Lignin and Bio-char: A Comprehensive Solution

Abstract A sustainable, easy to operate, scalable, and chemically pre-treatments free method has been explored for rice straw (RS) biomass conversion to furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), lignin and bio-char production. Initially, the RS was dipped into liquid nitrogen in a thermos flask and grinded easily to fine powder for better handling of biomass under reaction conditions in a reactor. The process also reduces the volume of biomass and enhances the surface area of RS biomass which was further analysed by SEM, TEM, IR, TGA and DSC, and further validated by its fruitful conversion to furfural, 5-HMF, lignin and bio-char synthesis in satisfied yields. The developed acidic process was performed at 130 °C for 6 hrs under a closed reaction system in reflux conditions. The ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) purity of furfural and 5-HMF was measured to >90% without additional purification technique. Moreover, the method was also examined in 250-gram scale and found to perform well.