Hydrolysis that aims the opening of the accessible areas in the
cellulose structure of lignocellulosic biomass by altering the macroscopic and microscopic size is an essential step to obtain
fermentable sugars. Hydrolysis affects lignocellulose by creating
larger accessible surface area and pore size, reducing the crystallinity,
partially degrading the cellulose, increasing the solubility of
hemicellulose and lignin and modifying the lignin structure.
Moreover, any hydrolysis process should improve the formation of
sugars or the ability to form them during the succeeding enzymatic
hydrolysis, and avoid the degradation or loss of carbohydrate and
formation of inhibitory byproducts for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis
and fermentation and be cost effective