Molecular Scale Drivers of Biomass Recalcitrance: Hypotheses and Experimental Study on the Molecular Scale Mechanisms Limiting the Conversion of Lignocelluloses to Constituent Sugars for Fermentation to Products

Michael Joseph Selig

Abstract

The thesis focus on the basic parameters limiting the breakdown of biomass to sugars. There is a multitude of structures and compounds in the plant cell wall which limits the performance of hydrolytic enzymes. In this thesis it is shown how the interactions between water and the cell wall components can be used as a measure of biomass recalcitrance as well as unspecific bonding of enzymes to the cell wall components. The different states of water in the plant cell wall is presented and discussed in relation to enzyme adsorption and activity.

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