Expectations for Manuscripts on Biomass Feedstocks and Processing in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

Abstract

Metrics & MoreArticle Recommendations ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (ACS SCE) reports and promotes innovation and advances in sustainable chemistry and engineering. The disciplines of sustainable chemistry and engineering are rapidly evolving, and consequently, our expectations for manuscripts that will be published in ACS SCE are also evolving. To help guide authors in understanding these changes, this editorial focuses on the scope and expectations for manuscripts reporting advances in the use and processing of lignin, cellulose, chitin, lipids, polysaccharides, and other renewable materials broadly characterized as biomass.The demand for energy and everyday commodities has increased in all regions of the globe. Sales of chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, are projected to exceed US$5 trillion in 2030, double that of 2017. 1 Currently, these items are mostly produced through manufacturing processes utilizing nonrenewable resources, such as crude oil, coal, and natural gas. Global energy supplies are also heavily reliant on nonrenewable resources, and global demand for energy is projected to grow from its current level of approximately 600 quadrillion BTU (quads) per year to 900 quads/yr by 2050. 2 Only a small fraction of this energy use is currently derived from renewable biomass resources. 3 Multiple analyses have indicated that energy and materials use from biomass could be increased significantly, even using only biomass materials that are currently viewed as wastes. Projections of feedstock availability show that up to a billion tons per year of crop residues, herbaceous energy crops and woody crops and wastes, are available in just the United States. 4 Algae systems could add to this feedstock flow, especially if they could be colocated with concentrated CO 2 sources, such as ethanol plants, coal-fired power plants, and natural gas-fired power plants. 4 However, for these feedstock resources to gain acceptance as reliable feedstocks, methods for improving reliability of their quality while minimizing variability must be developed along with robust supply chains.Once sourced, feedstock resources must be pretreated, dissolved, or fractionated, prior to conversion into energy products, chemicals, or materials, preferably with unique functional properties. Fractionation and purification of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, chitin, lipids, and other biomass resources have most often been developed as unit operations integrated into linear production systems; fractionation and purification methodologies with full usage of the renewable feedstock remain scarce. Green processing through use of renewable energy, regenerable green solvents, and catalysts are also needed.

Expectations for Perspectives in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

“…We encourage authors to apply life cycle and/or systems thinking to identify any sustainability-related challenges such as, but not limited to, the material intensity, energy intensity, CO 2 footprint, water usage, toxicity of chemicals, and environmental impact that are associated with a reviewed topic. We recommend authors to consult recent scope and metrics editorials to understand the sustainability considerations associated with various topics (e.g., catalysis, materials, clean and renewable energy, energy conversion, storage materials and devices, green synthesis of chemicals, feedstock CO 2 footprint, biomass processing, biobased chemicals and solvents, electrochemistry, waste recycling, and more) covered by ACS SCE . − Identifying research gaps and needs in the field based on a detailed analysis and exposure of sustainability hotspots would be a vital contribution of ACS SCE perspectives. For example, if a life cycle analysis is lacking in the literature that prevents one from making an informed sustainability assessment of a process or product, highlighting such a drawback in the perspectives will be useful to direct research.…”

“…ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering ( ACS SCE ) Editors are dedicated in their efforts to provide guidance to prospective contributors on manuscript content and expectations. For example, we have recently published editorials that articulate the expectations for scope and content of the journal in specific topic areas and provide guidance on effective ways to incorporate sustainability metrics in manuscripts. − These editorials provide insights into how the scope and the coverage of topics have evolved as the field of sustainable chemistry and engineering expands and grows in new directions. As an editorial team, we believe that thought leadership is key to the success of our field and the journal.…”

Expectations for Manuscripts in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering: Scope Summary and Call for Creativity

“…This year, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering ( ACS SCE ) has published a series of editorials describing the scope of the journal in topical areas that span the fields addressed by the majority of manuscripts submitted to the journal . The editorials have focused on sustainable materials, catalysis, nanoscience and nanotechnology, industrial ecology, biomass feedstocks and processing, solvents, photochemistry and photoelectrochemistry, and electrochemistry for energy conversion and storage . The desirable features sought by our editors in manuscripts were highlighted, and attributes that commonly deter manuscripts from being sent for peer review were described.…”