Cellulose destruction by electron-beam-induced heating

An efficient method for producing furfural and other furan derivatives from cellulose was proposed. Radiolytic destruction of cotton cellulose, sulfate and sulfite pine celluloses, and carboxymethylcellulose was studied under electron-beam-induced distillation conditions. The yield of the liquid distillate from cellulose of various origin was about 60%. Furfural and its derivatives with the molecular weight up to 140 were the predominant products. Grinding and preheating of cellulose increase the fraction of furan derivatives in the condensate. The liquid products are partially transformed into high-molecular-weight compounds that are distilled with difficulty and that are involved in the formation of wood charcoal in the yield of about 20%.