466953 How Solvent Properties Determine Pretreatment Effects on Key Lignocellulosic Characteristics

Thursday, November 17, 2016: 4:30 PM
Union Square 17 & 18 (Hilton San Francisco Union Square)
Thomas T. Kwok1,2, Matthew J. Realff2,3 and Andreas S. Bommarius1,2, (1)School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, (2)Renewable Bioproducts Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, (3)Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Chemical pretreatment efficacy is largely dependent on the solvent employed. Therefore, picking a solvent is one of the most important decisions in the early stages of chemical process design1. Traditionally, biomass pretreatment decisions have been more guided selection than rational design. Here we present a study of different organic solvent pretreatments on steam exploded bagasse. We demonstrate how certain chemical moieties affect the delignification capacity of a solvent. In addition to delignification, we describe the effect of organic solvent properties towards enhancing cellulose conversion to glucose. These methods provide insights into the chemistry of organic solvent pretreatments and a foundation for the molecular design of improved organic solvent pretreatment methods.

  1.  Shuai, L. and J. Luterbacher (2016). "Organic Solvent Effects in Biomass Conversion Reactions." ChemSusChem 9.2: 133-155.

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See more of this Session: Developments in the Pretreatment of Lignocellulosics for Bioconversion
See more of this Group/Topical: Sustainable Engineering Forum