The article by Vincent S. Chang and Mark T. Holtzapple from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University explores the fundamental factors affecting the enzymatic reactivity of biomass. They treated poplar wood with peracetic acid, KOH, and ball milling to create 147 model lignocelluloses with varying lignin contents, acetyl contents, and crystallinity indices (CrIs). An empirical model was developed to describe the impact of these properties on enzymatic hydrolysis. The study found that lignin content and CrI have the most significant effects on digestibility, while acetyl content has a minor impact. Lime treatment, which removes acetyl groups and some lignin and slightly increases CrI, was shown to enhance digestibility. The research provides insights into predicting and designing more effective pretreatments for lignocellulose conversion into liquid fuels.The article by Vincent S. Chang and Mark T. Holtzapple from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University explores the fundamental factors affecting the enzymatic reactivity of biomass. They treated poplar wood with peracetic acid, KOH, and ball milling to create 147 model lignocelluloses with varying lignin contents, acetyl contents, and crystallinity indices (CrIs). An empirical model was developed to describe the impact of these properties on enzymatic hydrolysis. The study found that lignin content and CrI have the most significant effects on digestibility, while acetyl content has a minor impact. Lime treatment, which removes acetyl groups and some lignin and slightly increases CrI, was shown to enhance digestibility. The research provides insights into predicting and designing more effective pretreatments for lignocellulose conversion into liquid fuels.