PROCESS FOR TREATING BIOMASS TO DERIVATIZE POLYSACCHARIDES CONTAINED THEREIN TO INCREASE THEIR ACCESSIBILITY TO HYDROLYSIS AND SUBSEQUENT FERMENTATION

摘要

A process is described for producing fermentable sugars derivable from biomass that contains polysaccharide, such as cellulose, made increasingly accessible as a substrate for enzymatic degradation or other methods of depolymerization. These fermentable sugars are subsequently able to be fermented to produce various target chemicals, such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones or acids.