The Challenge of Efficient Synthesis of Biofuels from Lignocellulose for Future Renewable Transportation Fuels

Abstract

Dehydration of sugars to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has recently been under intensive study by a multitude of research groups. On the other hand, when lignocellulosic biomass is applied as the starting material, very few studies can be found in the open literature. The direct synthesis of HMF, in line with the idea of “one-pot” synthesis strategy from lignocellulose, is demanding since the overall process should encompass dissolution, hydrolysis, and dehydration steps in a single processing unit. Ionic liquid-assisted methods to produce hydroxymethyl-furfural directly from lignocellulosic biomass are reported here together with a short overview of the most important biofuels. In reality, HMF is not suitable to be used as a single-component fuel as such, and, consequently, methods to produce HMF derivatives suitable as liquid fuels are reported.

Under Glass Weathering of Hemp Fibers Reinforced Polypropylene Biocomposites: Degradation Mechanisms Based on Emitted Volatile Organic Compounds

“…Also, 5-methylfurfural (660 ± 30 µg•m −3 ), 5-methyl-2(3H)-furanone (40 ± 14 µg•m −3 ), furfuryl formate (38 ± 4 µg•m −3 ), and furfuryl acetate (43 ± 4 µg•m −3 ) evolved from biocomposites at the initial state. Apart from the last two compounds, these low molecular weight products were evidenced to be generated by holocellulose sequential degradation (Shen and Gu, 2009;Binder et al, 2010;Mäki-Arvela et al, 2012;Al-Shaal et al, 2015). Figure 3 shows the formation pathways of degradation products identified in this study and issued from the carbohydrate part of hemp fibers.…”

“…In this mechanistic scheme, other cyclic molecules were derived from hydroxymethylfurfural, which was not detected in the conditions of this study. Otherwise, the generation of FIGURE 3 | Primary holocellulose decomposition products and their dehydrated derivatives through funneling pathways (Shen and Gu, 2009;Binder et al, 2010;Mäki-Arvela et al, 2012;Al-Shaal et al, 2015;Badji, 2017). FIGURE 4 | Glucose and amino acid interaction (R, amino acid side group) [Badji, 2017;from Fennema (1996)].…”

An Institutional Approach to Solar Fuels Research

“…This research covers projects involving the synthesis and application of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes [16][17][18] ; the production of organic optoelectronic devices [19][20][21] ; synthesis of industrial catalysts [22][23][24] ; fundamental studies on the mechanism of enzymes (such as photosystem II) [9,11,[25][26][27] ; elucidation of the genome sequence, metabolism and biomass formation of various species [28][29][30] ; combustion, gasification and torrefaction of biomass including ash behaviour [31][32][33][34][35][36][37] ; the improvement of biomass (wood) quantity and quality by breeding and genetic modification [38,39] ; and implementation of a biorefinery concept at industrial scale. [40][41][42][43][44][45] For building and maintaining these research facilities and efforts, internal and external funding is required. Umeå University made significant initial investments, which were accompanied by generous support by private foundations (K&A Wallenberg, Kempe).…”

Silica-supported boric acid assisted conversion of mono- and poly-saccharides to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in ionic liquid

“…alcohols, aldehydes, acids). 1 Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of cost-effective processes by which these biosustainable substrates can be transformed into value added chemicals. Nature produces more than 75% of carbohydrates from the total biomass out of which less than 5% used in food and non-food sectors.…”