Conversion of Cellulosic Biomass into Chemicals by Heterogeneous Catalysts

High-yielding one-pot synthesis of glucose from cellulose and pentoses/hexoses from real biomass is achieved by using simple activated carbons in only 0.012% HCl aqueous solution. Ball-milling cellulose and the carbon together created good physical contact between the solid substrate and solid catalyst, improving the depolymerization rate of cellulose to oligomers.