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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #240897
Title: Monitoring Process Streams Towards Understanding Ionic Liquid Pretreatment of Switchgrass and Corn Stover

Author
item ARORA, R - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item HAIDER, D - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item MANISSERI, C - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item LI, C - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item KNIERIM, B - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item Vogel, Kenneth
item AURER, M - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item SCHELLER, H - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item SIMMONS, B - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
item SINGH, S - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Submitted to: Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/27/2009
Publication Date: 5/3/2009
Citation: Arora, R., Haider, D., Manisseri, C., Li, C., Knierim, B., Vogel, K.P., Aurer, M., Scheller, H.V., Simmons, B.A., Singh, S. 2009. Monitoring Process Streams Towards Understanding Ionic Liquid Pretreatment of Switchgrass and Corn Stover. p. 102. Abstracts 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, Soc. for Industrical Microbiology. May 3-6, San Francisco, CA.

Interpretive Summary: Pretreatment of Biomass is essential for breaking apart highly ordered and crystalline plant cell walls and loosening the lignin and hemicellulose conjugation to cellulose microfibrils, thereby facilitating enzyme accessibility and adsorption and reducing cotsts of downstream saccharification processes. Recent reports 1,2 have shown very high yields at very low Enzyme loadings. However, pretreatment still remains one of the most costly steps in lignocellulosic biofuel production. Ionic liquids are novel solvents showing great promise for cellulose solubilization. Instant rejection of dissolved cellulose upon anti-solvent addition shows promise for recyclability in addition to other desired attributes like low volatility, non-flammability and thermal stability. Although shown to be very effective in cellulose solubilization 3,4 disposition of hemicellulose and lignin are not understood. The aim of this ongoing work is to understand ionic liquid pretreatment by monitoring and analyzing process streams towards gaining better understanding of pretreatment process.

Technical Abstract: Pretreatment of Biomass is essential for breaking apart highly ordered and crystalline plant cell walls and loosening the lignin and hemicellulose conjugation to cellulose microfibrils, thereby facilitating enzyme accessibility and adsorption and reducing cotsts of downstream saccharification processes. Recent reports 1,2 have shown very high yields at very low Enzyme loadings. However, pretreatment still remains one of the most costly steps in lignocellulosic biofuel production. Ionic liquids are novel solvents showing great promise for cellulose solubilization. Instant rejection of dissolved cellulose upon anti-solvent addition shows promise for recyclability in addition to other desired attributes like low volatility, non-flammability and thermal stability. Although shown to be very effective in cellulose solubilization 3,4 disposition of hemicellulose and lignin are not understood. The aim of this ongoing work is to understand ionic liquid pretreatment by monitoring and analyzing process streams towards gaining better understanding of pretreatment process.