Electro-hydrolysis of casava starch for sugar production

• Grant number: 07/08679-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2008
• End date: March 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Rodnei Bertazzoli
• Grantee: Rodnei Bertazzoli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica (FEM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, acid hydrolysis of celluloses and of different types of starch for production of sugars is an important source of bio-ethanol. In this project an electrochemical route for acid hydrolysis, that comprises the electro-oxidation of cassava starch with simultaneous oxygen evolution, will be investigate. By using DSA type oxide electrodes, electrolysis will be responsible for breaking starch glucosidic bonds into sugar monomers. During Phase I of the project electrodes of Ti/70TiO2/RuO2, Ti/60Ta2O5/40IrO2 e Ti/Pt/PbO2 will Br tested under several current density values. Resulting solutions will be analyzed by ions chromatography. In the Phase II, solutions will be processed in a flow electrochemical reactor as a function of flowrate. (AU)