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Steam explosion of biomass is a pre-treatment process that opens up the fibers, and makes the biomass polymers more accessible for subsequent processes, ie fermentation, hydrolysis or densification processes.

Biomass materials such as wood are composite materials with high mechanical strength. The major components are cellulose, embedded in a matrix of lignin and hemicelluloses (Fengel, 1983). Together they form tightly packed cellular structures (fibers) that form fiber bundles, and are the base for biomass tissues such as wood. Their natural function is to bear high mechanical loads, and to resist chemical and enzymatic degradation through microorganisms. This common feature of plant fibers is often termed as biomass recalcitrance, and is a major technical obstacle for most biorefinery processes.