Corn stover was pretreated with liquid hot water (LHW) method using a batch rector in order to enhance cellulose digestibility. The effects of pretreatment process parameters (pretreatment temperature 180-220℃

reaction time 10-25 min) on the main components (hemicellulose

lignin

and cellulose) and cellulose digestibility were investigated. Multiple linear regression models or quadratic equation models (only for lignin removal) were established by analyzing hemicellulose removal

lignin removal

and cellulose loss as dependent variables and pretreatment temperature and reaction time as independent variables. Hemicellulose removal and cellulose loss increased with increasing pretreatment temperature and reaction time over the range of experimental conditions. Compared to lignin in raw corn stover

mass of lignin in pretreated corn stover increased (lignin removal was negative)

also as a function of increasing pretreatment temperature and reaction time

probably because of the formation of pseudo-lignin. Sensitivity analyses showed that the significance level of pretreatment temperature was much higher than that of the reaction time on these three dependent variables. The maximum enzymatic digestibility (76.2%) of cellulose in raw corn stover was achieved after the pretreatment (210℃

20 min). Higher severity conditions caused more hemicellulose removal

as well as more cellulose loss

thus lowering the enzymatic digestibility of cellulose in raw corn stover.