The scientists used a process called steam explosion with acid to break down corncob and make it easier to turn into sugar. They changed the conditions like the type of acid, its concentration, and the pressure to see how it affected the corncob. By analyzing the treated corncob, they found that the amount of sugar that could be made from it was linked to changes in its structure, like the amount of cellulose and lignin. This helps us understand better how to make biofuels from plants like corncob.