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Received June 18, 2026
Revised July 2, 2026
Accepted July 29, 2026
Available online August 18, 2026
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포름산을 이용한 글루코오스로부터 레블린산 생산 최적화
Optimization of Levulinic Acid Production from Glucose Using Formic Acid as a Catalyst
경기대학교
Kyonggi University
jskim84@kgu.ac.kr
Korean Chemical Engineering Research, November 2026, 64(4), 105177
https://doi.org/10.9713/kcer.2026.64.4.105177
https://doi.org/10.9713/kcer.2026.64.4.105177
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Abstract
레블린산(levulinic acid)은 바이오매스로부터 생산 가능한 대표적인 플랫폼 화학물질로서 바이오연료 및 다양한 화학제품의 전구체로 활용될 수 있어 최근 많은 관심을 받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 글루코오스를 기질로 사용하고 포름산을 촉매로 이용하여 레불린산 생산 특성을 조사하였다. 반응 온도 (160–200℃), 촉매 농도 (1.0–10.0 wt.%), 반응시간 (0–240 min)을 주요 변수로 설정하여 레블린산 생성 거동을 분석하였다. 사용한 변수들 중에서는 반응 온도와 촉매 농도는 레불린산 생성에 중요한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 실험 결과 반응 온도 200℃, 포름산 농도 10.0 wt.%, 반응시간 210 min 조건에서 최대 22.35%의 레블린산 수율이 관찰되었다. 또한 반응표면분석법 (Response Surface Methodology, RSM)을 이용하여 반응 조건을 최적화한 결과 반응 온도 199.52℃, 반응시간 203.73 min, 촉매 농도 5.53%에서 최대 23.05%의 레블린산 수율이 예측되었다.
Levulinic acid is a representative biomass-derived platform chemical that has attracted considerable attention as a precursor for biofuels and various value-added chemicals. In this study, the production characteristics of levulinic acid from glucose using formic acid as a catalyst were investigated. Reaction temperature (160–200 ℃), catalyst concentration(1.0–10.0 wt.%), and reaction time (0–240 min) were selected as the main variables to analyze the formation behavior of levulinic acid. Among the variables investigated, reaction temperature and catalyst concentration were found to have significant effects on levulinic acid production. The maximum levulinic acid yield of 22.35% was obtained at a reaction temperature of 200 ℃, a formic acid concentration of 10.0 wt.%, and a reaction time of 210 min. Furthermore, the reaction conditions were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The predicted maximum levulinic acid yield of 23.05% was obtained at a reaction temperature of 199.52℃, a reaction time of 203.73 min, and a catalyst concentration of 5.53 wt.%.
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6. Basar, I. A., Liu, H., Carrere, H., Trably, E. and Eskicioglu, C., “A Review on Key Design and Operational Parameters to Opti- mize and Develop Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Biomass for Biorefinery Applications,” Green Chem., 23(4), 1404-1446(2021).
7. Cai, J., He, Y., Yu, X., Banks, S. W., Yang, Y., Zhang, X., Yu, Y., Liu, R. and Bridgwater, A. V., “Review of Physicochemical Properties and Analytical Characterization of Lignocellulosic Biomass,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 76, 309-322(2017).
8. Baruah, J., Nath, B. K., Sharma, R., Kumar, S., Deka, R. C., Baruah, D. C. and Kalita, E., “Recent Trends in the Pretreatment of Lig- nocellulosic Biomass for Value-added Products,” Frontiers in Energy Research, 6, 141(2018).
9. Jing, Y., Guo, Y., Xia, Q., Liu, X. and Wang, Y., “Catalytic Pro- duction of Value-added Chemicals and Liquid Fuels From Lig- nocellulosic Biomass,” Chem, 5(10), 2520-2546(2019).
10. Rackemann, D. W. and Doherty, W. O., “The Conversion of Lig- nocellulosics to Levulinic Acid,” Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, 5(2), 198-214(2011).
11. Pileidis, F. D. and Titirici, M., “Levulinic Acid Biorefineries: New Challenges for Efficient Utilization of Biomass,” ChemSusChem, 9(6), 562-582(2016).
12. Di Bucchianico, D. D. M., Wang, Y., Buvat, J., Pan, Y., Moreno, V. C. and Leveneur, S., “Production of Levulinic Acid and Alkyl Levulinates: A Process Insight,” Green Chem., 24(2), 614-646(2022).
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14. Ashok, R. P. B., Oinas, P. and Forssell, S., “Techno-economic Evaluation of a Biorefinery to Produce γ-valerolactone (GVL), 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) from Spruce,” Renewable Energy, 190, 396-407(2022).
15. Gundekari, S. and Karmee, S. K., “Catalytic Conversion of Levulinic Acid Into 2-methyltetrahydrofuran: A Review,” Molecules, 29(1), 242(2024).
16. Girisuta, B., “Levulinic Acid From Lignocellulosic Biomass,” (2007).
17. Liu, C., Lu, X., Yu, Z., Xiong, J., Bai, H. and Zhang, R., “Produc- tion of Levulinic Acid From Cellulose and Cellulosic Biomass in Different Catalytic Systems,” Catalysts, 10(9), 1006(2020).
18. Lopes, E. S., Rivera, E. C., de Jesus Gariboti, J. C., Feistel, L. H. Z., Dutra, J. V., Maciel, F. R. and Tovar, L. P., “Kinetic Insights Into the Lignocellulosic Biomass-based Levulinic Acid Production by a Mechanistic Model,” Cellulose, 27(10), 5641-5663(2020).
19. Girisuta, B., Janssen, L. and Heeres, H. J., “Green Chemicals: A Kinetic Study on the Conversion of Glucose to Levulinic Acid,”Chem. Eng. Res. Design, 84(5), 339-349(2006).
20. Ramli, N. A. S. and Amin, N. A. S., “Kinetic Study of Glucose Conversion to Levulinic Acid over fe/HY Zeolite Catalyst,” Chem. Eng. J., 283, 150-159(2016).
21. Weiqi, W. and Shubin, W., “Experimental and Kinetic Study of Glucose Conversion to Levulinic Acid Catalyzed by Synergy of Lewis and Brønsted Acids,” Chem. Eng. J., 307, 389-398(2017).
22. Galletti, A. M. R., Antonetti, C., De Luise, V., Licursi, D. and Nassi, O. D. and Nasso, N., “Levulinic Acid Production from Waste Biomass,” BioResources, 7(2), 1824-1834(2012).
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24. Shen, J. and Wyman, C. E., “Hydrochloric Acid‐catalyzed Levulinic Acid Formation From Cellulose: Data and Kinetic Model to Maximize Yields,” AIChE J., 58(1), 236-246(2012).
25. Lopes, E. S., Leal Silva, J. F., de Oliveira Gonçalves, F., Andrade Morgado Negreiro P., Lopes, M. S., Maciel, M. R. W., Maciel Filho R. and Plazas Tovar L., “Overcoming the Humin Bottleneck in Levulinic Acid and Furfural Production From Biomass: A Review and Future Perspectives,” Energy Fuels,(2026).
26. Lopes, E. S., Leal Silva, J. F., de Oliveira Gonçalves, F., Andrade Morgado Negreiro, P., Lopes, M. S., Maciel, M. R. W., Maciel Filho, R. and Plazas, T. L., “Overcoming the Humin Bottleneck in Levulinic Acid and Furfural Production From Biomass: A Review and Future Perspectives,” Energy Fuels,(2026).
27. Di Bucchianico, D. D. M., Wang, Y., Buvat, J., Pan, Y., Moreno, V. C. and Leveneur, S., “Production of Levulinic Acid and Alkyl Levulinates: A Process Insight,” Green Chem., 24(2), 614–646(2022).
28. Ahn, H. G., Lee, J. E., Kim, H., Jung, H. J., Oh, K. K., Heo, S. H. and Kim, J. S., “Optimized Furfural Production Using the Acid Catalytic Conversion of Xylan Liquor From Organosolv-Frac- tionated Rice Husk,” Polysaccharides, 5(4), 552-566(2024).
29. Chang, C., Xiaojian, M. A. and Peilin, C., “Kinetics of Levulinic Acid Formation From Glucose Decomposition at High Tempera- ture,” Chin. J. Chem. Eng., 14(5), 708-712(2006).
30. Ahn, H. G., Kim, B. G., Lee, J. E., Kim, H. and Kim, J. S., “Levulinic Acid Production from Cellulosic Biomass by Two- stage Pretreatment,” Korean Chemical Engineering Research, 63(2), 208-219(2025).
31. Weingarten, R., Kim, Y. T., Tompsett, G. A., Fernández, A., Han, K. S., Hagaman, E. W., Conner, Jr W. C., Dumesic, J. A. and Huber, G. W., “Conversion of Glucose Into Levulinic Acid with Solid Metal (IV) Phosphate Catalysts,” Journal of Catalysis, 304, 123-134(2013).
32. Rochmadi, R., “Reaction Kinetics of Levulinic Acid Synthesis From Glucose Using Bronsted Acid Catalyst,” Bulletin of Chem- ical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis,(2021).
33. Nalawade, K. S. and Gogate, P. R., “Understanding the Effect of Reaction Parameters on the Production of Levulinic Acid from Glucose,” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 102(11), 3713-3722(2024).
