2nd International Congress on Catalysis for Biorefineries(CatBior 2013)

September 22–25,2013,Dalian,China http://catbior2013.dicp.ac.cn Call For Papers 1.Congress Introduction The Organizing Committee cordially invites you to participate in the 2nd International Congress on Catalysis for Biorefineries to be

2nd International Congress on Catalysis for Biorefineries(CatBior 2013)

September 22-25,2013,Dalian,China http://catbior2013.dicp.ac.cn Call For Papers 1.Congress Introduction The Organizing Committee cordially invites you to participate in the 2nd International Congress on Catalysis for Biorefineries to be held in Dalian from 22nd to 25th September,2013.The International Congress on Catalysis for

Alternatives of Small-Scale Biorefineries for the Integrated Production of Xylitol from Sugarcane Bagasse

Small-scale biorefinery from sugarcane bagasse offers new possibilities to the sugar and ethanol industries.The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a small-scale biorefinery for the production of xylitol from sugarcane bagasse.The liquid fraction from the autohydrolysis treatment was selected as the source of sugars for xylitol and two scenarios were analyzed for the residual solid:ethanol or pellet production.A technical-economic analysis of alternatives was applied.The internal rate of return(IRR)was used to compare the selected proposals.The highest IRR values were obtained when processing 70,000 dry tons per year of bagasse.The results showed promising prospects for a small-scale biorefinery with capacities above 20,000 dry tons per year(xylitol and pellets),and above 50,000 dry tons per year(xylitol and ethanol).

Opportunities of CO_(2)-based biorefineries for production of fuels and chemicals

Biorefinery production of fuels and chemicals represents an attractive route for solving current energy crisis,as well as reducing green-house gas(GHG)emissions from ships,planes,and long-haul trucks.The current biorefinery industry is under transition from the use of food(1G,1st generation),to the use of biomass(2G,2nd generation).Moreover,the use of atmospheric CO_(2)(3G,3rd generation)has caught increased attention as the possible next-generation biorefinery.Here we discuss how microorganisms can be engineered for CO_(2)-based biorefineries to produce fuels and chemicals.We start through reviewing different metabolic pathways that can be recruited for CO_(2)fixation,followed by different opportunities for CO_(2)fixation,either through co-consumption with sugars or used as the sole carbon source.Key challenges and future research directions for advancing 3rd-generation biorefineries are also be discussed.

Catalyst design and structure control for photocatalytic refineries of cellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals

Lignocellulosic biomass is the largest renewable hydrocarbon resource on earth.Converting cellulose,one of the major components of lignocellulose,powered by solar energy is a promising way of providing lowcarbon-footprint energy chemicals such as H_(2),HCOOH,CO,and transportation fuels.State-of-the-art biorefineries target the full use of biomass feedstocks as they have a maximum collection radius of 75-100 km,requesting efficient and selective photocatalysts that significantly influence the outcome of photocatalytic biorefineries.Well-performed photocatalysts can harvest a broad solar spectrum and are active in breaking the chemical bonds of cellulose,decreasing the capital investments of biorefineries.Besides,photocatalysts should control the selectivity of cellulose conversion,originating target products to level down separation costs.Charge separation in photocatalysts and interfacial charge transfer between photocatalysts and cellulose affect the activity and selectivity of cellulose refineries to H2 and carbonaceous chemicals.To account for the challenges above,this review summarizes photocatalysts for the refineries of cellulose and downstream platform molecules based on the types of products,with the structure features of different types of photocatalysts discussed in relation to the targets of either improving the activity or product selectivity.In addition,this review also sheds light on the methods for designing and regulating photocatalyst structures to facilitate photocatalytic refineries of cellulose and platform molecules,meanwhile summarizing proposed future research challenges and opportunities for designing efficient photocatalysts.

Advances in selective conversion of carbohydrates into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Converting carbohydrates into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(5-HMF) is an attractive and promising route for value-added utilization of agricultural and forestry biomass resource. As an important platform compound, 5-HMF possesses high active furan structure with hydroxymethyl and aldehyde group for production of various bio-chemicals and materials, meanwhile, which suffer from low stability and poor yield during the industrial biorefinery process. Hence, selective production of 5-HMF with high-yield and low-cost has attracted extensive attention from scientific and industrial researchers. This review sorted and described the latest advanced research on solvent and catalyst system, as well as energy field effect for production of 5-HMF with different feedstock in detail, emphatically discussing the solvent effect and its synergistic effect with other aspects. Besides, the future prospects and challenges for production of 5-HMF from carbohydrates were also presented, which provide a profound insight into industrial 5-HMF process with economic and environmental feature.

State-of-the-art and future directions of machine learning for biomass characterization and for sustainable biorefinery

Machine learning(ML)has emerged as a significant tool in the field of biorefinery,offering the capability to analyze and predict complex processes with efficiency.This article reviews the current state of biorefinery and its classification,highlighting various commercially successful biorefineries.Further,we delve into different categories of ML models,including their algorithms and applications in various stages of biorefinery lifecycle,such as biomass characterization,pretreatment,lignin valorization,chemical,thermochemical and biochemical conversion processes,supply chain analysis,and life cycle assessment.The benefits and limitations of each of these algorithms are discussed in detail.Finally,the article concludes with a discussion of the limitations and future prospects of ML in the field of biorefineries.

Electrochemical Biorefinery toward Chemicals Synthesis and Bio-Oil Upgrading from Lignin

Recalcitrance and the inherent heterogeneity of lignin structure are the major bottlenecks to impede the popularization of lignin-based chemicals production processes.Recent works suggested a promising pathway for lignin depolymerization and lignin-derived bio-oil upgrading via an electrochemical biorefinery(a process in which lignin valorization is performed via electrochemical oxidation or reduction).This review presents the progress on chemicals synthesis and bio-oil upgrading from lignin by an electrochemical biorefinery,relating to the lignin biosynthesis pathway,reaction pathway of lignin electrochemical conversion,inner-sphere and outer-sphere electron transfer mechanism,basic kinetics and thermodynamics in electrochemistry,and the recent embodiments analysis with the emphasis on the respective feature and limitation for lignin electrochemical oxidative and reductive conversion.Lastly,the challenge and perspective associated with lignin electrochemical biorefinery are discussed.Present-day results indicate that more work should be performed to promote efficiency,selectivity,and stability in pursuing a lignin electrochemical biorefinery.One of the most promising developing directions appears to be integrating various types of lignin electrochemical conversion strategies and other existing or evolving lignin valorization technologies.This review aims to provide more references and discussion on the development for lignin electrochemical biorefinery.

Sulfonic groups functionalized Zr-metal organic framework for highly catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol

The highly selective catalytic transfer hydrogenation(CTH)of furfural(FF)to furfuryl alcohol(FOL)is a significant route of biomass valorization.Herein,a series microporous Zr-metal organic framework(ZrMOF)functionalized by sulfonic groups are prepared.Based on the comprehensive structural characterizations by means of X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),N2 physisorption,Thermogravimetric(TG)and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),we find that sulfonic acid(–SO_(3)H)functional groups are tethered on the UIO-66 without affecting the structure of the framework.Systematic characterizations(NH_(3)-TPD,CO_(2)-TPD,and in-situ FTIR)demonstrate that modifying of sulfonic groups on UIO-66 results in the formation of stronger Lewis acidic-basic and Brnsted acidis sites.The cooperative role of the versatile Lewis acidic-basic and Brnsted acidic sites in 60%mol fraction of sulfonic acid-containing UIO-66(UIO-S_(0.6))retain high surface area and exhibit excellent catalytic performance of 94.7%FOL yield and 16.9 h^(-1).turnover number(TOF)under mild conditions.Kinetic experiments reveal that the activation energy of the CTH of furfural(FF)over UIO-S_(0.6) catalyst is as low as 50.8 k J mol^(-1).Besides,the hydrogen transfer mechanism is investigated through isotope labeling experiments,exhibiting that theβ-H in isopropanol is transferred to the a-C of FF by forming six-membered intermediates on the Lewis acidic-basic and Brnsted acidic sites of the UIO-S_(0.6),which is the rate-determining step in the formation of FOL.

Shell biorefinery: A comprehensive introduction

Biomass refinery is considered to be a key technology in the 21 st century due to the importance of the sustainable production of various bioderived fuels and fine chemicals. Besides the synthesis of oxygen-containing chemicals mainly from lignocellulosic biomass, nitrogencontaining chemicals belong to some of the most important commodity and fine chemicals. In this introductory short review, the main similarities and difficulties between petroleum oil-and biorefinery will be discussed and future challenges will be highlighted. As a particular example, recent developments in the shell biorefinery – the utilization of shell waste – will be reviewed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the structure of shell biomass, the current and emerging fractionation methods and the conversion of chitin and chitosan to various heteroatomcontaining chemicals. This review is meant to provide an introduction to beginners in the field of biorefinery as well as a comprehensive discussion of recent proceedings in the field of shell biorefinery. An outlook on the future potential and challenges will be given.

Strategies for Fermentable Sugar Production by Using Pressurized Acid Hydrolysis for Rice Husks

This study investigated the use of leftover biomass(rice husks)as the raw material for the biotechnological production of platform chemicals and biopolymers.Following the biorefinery concept,different acid hydrolysates were studied and resulted into a wide range of treatment strategies.Chemometrics were applied throughout the procedures in multivariate experimental conditions.By using the best hydrolytic conditions of 6.0%H3PO4,135oC(45 MPa)and reaction time of 62 min,21.0 g/L sugar hydrolysates were produced;by using the best hydrolytic condition of 4.5%HNO3,135oC/35 min,16.1 g/L sugar hydrolysates were produced;and with the hydrolysates use of 1.5%H2SO4 and 1.5%HCl,135oC/62 min,18.2 and 17.8 g/L sugar hydrolysates were produced,respectively.The highest productivity,in terms of fermentable sugars,reached 68%of integral cellulose/hemicellulose fraction and surpassed those found in the literature,with regard to the processing of rice husks,by considering just one step process.Sulfuric hydrolysate,detoxified with active carbon,was used to prove this proposal viability,resulting in a fermentation substrate for A.terreus(ATCC10020)and R.radiobacter(LMG196)strains(natural producers of bioproducts),which certified the feasibility of the proposal.The production of fermentable sugars from leftover biomass should encourage a search for new bioconversion routes,which can result in economic and environmental benefits and a spread of knowledge.

Hydrothermal Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Materials for Improving Bioethanol Production

With the continued depletion of non-renewable energy resources,it is essential to seek new methods of harnessing clean and renewable energy.In this regard,second-generation bioethanol derived from lignocellulosic biomass has attracted increasing attention in recent years.The choice of the pretreatment method of lignocellulose is critical to the subsequent bioconversion processes.Compared with other conventional chemical pretreatment methods,hydrothermal pretreatment is a simple,low-cost,and economically feasible process that requires water as the only reagent.This paper reviews the research efforts that have been made toward hydrothermal pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass and focuses on the transformations involving cellulose,hemicellulose,and lignin during this process.

Chemicals,Energy,and Biomaterials from Agricultural Waste Resources in South China

Owing to its subtropical or tropical environment and climate,South China is home to unique agricultural crops such as sugar cane,pineapple,banana,cassava,and rice,which generate a large amount of lignocellulosic agricultural wastes during agricultural as well as associated industrial processing.The efficient utilization of these wastes will have a significant impact on the economy and sustainable development of South China.This paper reviews the research investigations conducted both in China and elsewhere on the conversion of wastes from these subtropical or tropical agricultural crops into useful chemicals,energy,and biomaterials.The goal of this paper is to promote and summarize the extensive investigations on these agricultural wastes for the development of biorefinery.

Enzymatic Conversion of Sugarcane Lignocellulosic Biomass as a Platform for the Production of Ethanol,Enzymes and Nanocellulose

The conversion of sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass into fuels,chemicals and high-value materials using the biochemical pathway is considered the most sustainable alternative for the implementation of future biorefineries.Actually,the first large-scale cellulosic ethanol plants that have started operating worldwide apply the enzymatic hydrolysis process to convert biomass into simple sugars that are fermented to ethanol by yeasts.However,several technological challenges still need to be addressed in order to obtain commercially competitive products.This review describes current challenges and perspectives regarding the enzymatic hydrolysis step for processing sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass within the biorefinery.Recent developments in terms of process configuration strategies and opportunities for the implementation of a sugarcane biorefinery,in which the production of ethanol is integrated into the production of high-value products such as enzymes and nanocellulose,are discussed in view of the demands of the current bioeconomy.

Extraction of Hemicellulose from Acacia Wood via Autohydrolysis and Ethanol Precipitation

Isolation and utilization of hemicellulose are important processes in the pulp mill-based biorefinery. Considering the potential end use of the hemicellulose,this study investigated the concentration of monomeric and oligomeric sugars in the hydrolysate derived from autohydrolysis of acacia wood and the obtainment of these sugars via ethanol precipitation. The rate of generation of monomers and oligomers increased dramatically with an increase of the temperature from 160℃ to 180℃. The maximum content of oligomers and total sugars was achieved under conditions of 180℃ and 10 min,170℃ and 85 min,respectively. Interestingly,the maximum yield of hemicellulose via ethanol precipitation was achieved in a much shorter time,compared with the maximum yield of oligomer from the hydrolysate by autohydrolysis. A 6. 66 g / L quantity of hemicellulose was obtained by intensifying the conditions of ethanol precipitation. The hemicellulose characteristics were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared,nuclear magnetic resonance,and ultraviolet spectroscopy,and the molecular weight was determined by gel permeation chromatography and thermal analysis.

Integrated Forest Biorefinery:Value-added Utilization of Dissolved Organics in the Prehydrolysis Liquor of Prehydrolysis Kraft (PHK) Dissolving Pulp Production Process

The concept of integrated forest biorefineries(IFBRs) has gained significant interest.The prehydrolysis kraft(PHK) dissolving pulp production process is a suitable example of IFBR concept for the production of dissolving pulp and utilization of dissolved hemicelluloses,acetic acid,and lignin in the prehydrolysis liquor(PHL).This review paper highlights recent progress related to the recovery and utilization of dissolved organics(e.g.,hemicelluloses,acetic acid,and lignin) in the PHL of the PHK dissolving pulp production process.Integrated multi-step recovery and separation processes have been developed for this purpose to accommodate the complex nature of the PHL.Potential products,including xylan-based compounds,acetic acid,and lignin,are also discussed in detail.

Literature Review on Furfural Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass

The use of renewable sources for obtainment of chemicals, biofuels, materials and energy has become each time larger due to environmental, political and economical problems of non-renewable energies utilization. Among several products that can be obtained from lignocellulosic biomass, which is a renewable source, there is furfural, a chemical from which many other value added chemical products can be obtained. The main route for furfural production consists of an acid hydrolysis of hemicelluloses present in lignocellulosic biomass to obtain xylose, which goes through a dehydration reaction to produce furfural. Due to the presence of an aldehyde group and a conjugated system of double bounds, furfural can go through several reactions, allowing the production of a range of value added products. In this sense, this article performs a review about mechanisms of furfural production from lignocellulosic biomass, highlighting its chemical properties which enable its utilization in different industrial applications of economic interest.

The Effect of Lignification Process on the Bioconversion Efficiency in Moso Bamboo

Recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass is closely related to the presence of lignin in secondary cell walls,which has a negative effect on enzyme digestibility,biomass-to-biofuels conversion,and chemical pulping.The lignification process and structural heterogeneity of the cell wall for various parts of moso bamboo were investigated.There were slight differences among three different column parts of moso bamboo in terms of chemical compositions,including cellulose,hemicelluloses,and lignin.However,the detailed analysis of the fractionated lignin indicated that the acid-soluble lignin was first biosynthesized,and the largest molecular weight value was detected from the bottom part of the moso bamboo,as well as the highest syringyl-to-guaiacyl ratio.Although the main b-O-4 aryl ethers and resinol structures were clearly present in all lignin samples examined by NMR analysis,the relatively small lignin biomacromolecule in the top part of the moso bamboo lead to poor thermal stability.For the bioconversion process,no significant difference was found among all the moso bamboo samples,and the relatively higher hydrolysis efficiency was largely dependent on the low crystallinity of cellulose rather than the degree of lignin biosynthesis.

Comparative Study of Isolated Polysaccharides from Triploid Poplar Using Different Solvents and Chemicals

The conversion of lignocellulose to value-added products is normally focused on fuel production;however,large-scale biorefineries require a cost-effective pretreatment process that can effectively fractionate the three main constituents of lignocellulose for the production of chemicals,fuels,and materials.In this study,a hemicellulosic biopolymer from poplar was fractionated by a mild organosolv process and the effects of various chemicals(sodium hydroxide,triethylamine,and formic acid)and alcohols on the fractionation efficiency and structural variation of hemicellulose were examined.Comparative studies indicated that an acidic catalyst decreased the purity of hemicelluloses by partial degradation of cellulose,and the core of the hemicellulosic biomacromolecule could be released and dissolved under alkaline conditions with 5.8%~19.0%yields.In addition,the use of alcohol with longer alkyl chains facilitated the release of the hemicellulosic biomacromolecule by partially cleaving the ether bonds in the lignincarbohydrate complex(LCC);this is probably due to steric hindrance.The thermal degradation behavior showed that complete pyrolysis was easily achieved for the hemicellulosic polymer with minimal branches irrespective of its molecular weight.

Syngas cleaning with nano-structured micro-porous ion exchange polymers in biomass gasification using a novel downdraft gasifier

Sulphonated nano-structured micro-porous ion exchange polymers, known as sulphonated PolyHIPE Polymers （s-PHPs） were used in syngas cleaning to investigate their impact on tar composition, concentration and dew point depression during the gasification of fuel cane bagasse as a model biomass. The results showed that the s-PHPs used as a secondary syngas treatment system, was highly effective at adsorbing and reducing the concentration of all class of tars in syngas by 95%-80% which resulted in tar dew point depression from 90 ~C to 73 ~C. It was shown that tars underwent chemical reactions within s-PHPs, indicating that tar diffusion from syngas was driven by chemical potential. It was also observed that s-PHPs also captured ash forming elements from syngas. The use of s-PHPs in gasification as well as in an integrated thermochemical biorefinery technology is discussed since the tar loaded s-PHPs can be used as natural herbicides in the form of soil additives to enhance the biomass growth and crop yield.