Reaction kinetics of levulinic acid preparation from cellulose using sulfonated activated carbon

This study investigates the production of levulinic acid from cellulose conversion using sulfonated activated carbon catalyst under hydrothermal conditions. The effects of varying temperatures (190°C, 200°C, and 210°C) and reaction times (1 to 5 hours) on levulinic acid conversion were evaluated to determine optimal conditions. Results indicated that a temperature of 200°C and a reaction time of 4 hours yielded the highest conversion of 84,9%; however, prolonged reaction times decreased conversion due to by-product formation. Additionally, higher temperatures promoted side reactions leading to humin formation. Kinetic analysis using linear regression indicated that this reaction follows first-order kinetics, with an R2 value of 0,926394 showing the best fit. These findings support the first-order model as the optimal approach to predict the reaction rate of levulinic acid formation from cellulose.