Catalyst for hydrolyzing cellulose or hemicellulose and method for producing sugar-containing solution employing same

Abstract

Disclosed are: a novel catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose, which does not require the use of a large quantity of sulfuric acid for the preparation thereof and from which sulfuric acid cannot be eluted; a novel catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose, which is not changed in structure even in hot water and therefore does not undergo the deterioration in activity; and a process for producing a cellulose hydrolysate, mainly including glucose, using any one of the aforementioned catalysts. Specifically disclosed are: a catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose, which comprises a porous carbon material having a specific surface area of 800 to 2500 m2/g inclusive and a phenolic hydroxy group content of 100 to 700 mmol/kg inclusive, such as a porous carbon material having such a structure that carbon is filled in pores of mesoporous silica that is used as a template; and a catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose or hemicellulose, which comprises the aforementioned porous carbon material and a transition metal belonging to Group 8 to Group 11 and supported on the porous carbon material.