In a study on cornstalk treatment, steam explosion was tested with and without acid. The goal was to see how this affected the cornstalks' composition and structure. They found that steam explosion didn't change the cellulose, but it did break down hemicellulose and dissolve some lignin. Adding acid during steam explosion damaged the cornstalks, making them better for enzyme treatment. This made the surface area bigger, the pores wider, and the fibers shorter. However, after acid steam explosion, the amount of sugars in the cornstalks reduced.