The scientists used a powerful type of water called strongly acidic electrolyzed water to treat tough corn leftovers, aiming to break down hemicellulose—an important plant component. They discovered that this water, when applied in a flowing system at high temperatures, was better at removing hemicellulose compared to using regular acid at the same pH levels. By testing different factors like pH, flow rate, temperature, and reaction time, they figured out the best conditions for hemicellulose removal. At 180°C for 20 minutes with the water at pH 2.0 and a flow rate of 10mL/min, they removed 96% of the hemicellulose and captured 93% of the sugars released from the process. When they used enzymes to break down the remaining cellulose after this treatment, they achieved a 100% success rate. So, their method effectively removes hemicellulose and boosts the process of breaking down corn leftovers for energy use.