Fig. 3

Poplar (Pop) deacetylation mass closure of glucan (top left), xylan (top right), lignin (bottom left), and acetyl (bottom right). Lignin conversion yield to black liquor was likely overestimated due to the lack of an accurate quantifying method. Acetyl conversion yield was high due to under quantifying acetyl in the raw feedstock. The acetyl was nearly all removed from the insoluble solids fraction. Lignin was removed more when the concentration of sodium hydroxide was increased, but significantly less than corn stover. Most of the glucan and xylan, remain with the insoluble solids fraction. X/Y/Z represents NaOH conc (g/kg)/residence time (min)/disc-refining gap (in.)