Formation of furans upon electron-beam heating of cellulose

Similarity between cotton cellulose and sulfate and sulfite pine celluloses in degradation during electron-beam distillation has been shown. The yield of the distillate liquid slightly depends on the type of cellulose and makes up ∼60 wt %. The product liquid contains organic compounds with molecular masses of 32 to 128, of which furfural and its derivatives prevail. Electron-beam distillation can be used as an effective method for the manufacturing of furfural and other furan derivatives from cellulose (along with the traditional pentosan conversion processes). It has been shown that grinding and preheating of cellulose lead to an increase in the proportion of furfural and other furans in the condensates.