Biomass-derived Products Research Articles

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles-capped aminated lignin as a robust active catalyst for dye discoloration

Considering the severity of global environmental issues, biomass-derived products have received significant attention as alternatives to foster sustainability and eco-friendliness. The use of metal nanoparticle catalysts for dye decomposition is emerging as a promising approach for environmentally friendly dye removal. In this study, an aminosilane-modified lignin (AML)/silver nanoparticle (AgNP) composite was fabricated and used as a hydrogenation catalyst. The AgNPs were well dispersed on the AML surface and formed strong bonds within the AML/AgNP complex. AML also served as an effective reducing and capping agent for Ag(I) ions. The AML/AgNPs were found to be an efficient catalyst with excellent dye degradation ability and easy reusability. Biomass-derived lignin can be used as a reducing and capping agent for metals and this complex can be used as a high-value bio-catalyst for wastewater remediation.

Insights into behaviors of functional groups in biomass derived products during aqueous phase reforming over Ni/α-MoO3 catalysts

Aqueous phase reforming (APR) of biomass-derived products has been widely applied for hydrogen generation, chemicals production, and wastewater treatment. Despite its widespread application, the complexity of the raw materials and reaction mechanisms significantly complicates the APR process, impeding its development. This study investigated the APR performance of biomass-derived products using Ni/α-MoO3 catalysts toward hydrogen production and pollutant control, conducted at a temperature of 225 °C and a residence time of 30 min, thus comprehensively understanding the effect of different functional groups. The results showed that the amide (R–HCON) exhibited superior hydrogen production potential during APR. In terms of total organic carbon (TOC) removal, ether showed a 98.10% removal efficiency without a catalyst, whereas the presence of catalyst greatly enhanced the TOC removal efficiency of acetaldehyde (-CHO) from 62.26% to 86.68%. The performed APR of biomass-derived products on Ni/α-MoO3 catalysts primary resulted in the presence of N, N-Dimethylformamide (HCON-(CH3)2), and aminobenzene (Ph-NH2) for Ni leaching with a lower concentration. The carbon deposition on the catalyst primarily resulted from the combined effects of various compounds and the oxygen vacancies within the catalysts. This study aims to provide novel insights into the APR process for both biomass and biomass-derived materials.

Tejin starts carbon fiber production with acrylonitrile from waste and biomass-residue

On December 21, 2023, Teijin Limited announced that it will begin production and sales of TenaxTM Carbon Fiber made with sustainable acrylonitrile (AN) using waste and residue from biomass-derived products or recycled raw materials that have received ISCC PLUS certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification system. The TenaxTM Carbon Fiber under ISCC Plus certification will be produced at Teijin's Mishima plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, using the mass balance approach. With this method, materials are verifiably tracked through complex value chains, for example, when biomass-derived raw materials are mixed with petroleum-derived raw materials to create products.

Lignin-functionalized cobalt for catalytic reductive degradation of organic dyes in simple and hybrid binary systems

To fulfill the unprecedented valorization approaches for lignocellulose, this work focuses on the potential of lignin-derived catalytic systems for bio-remediation, which are natural materials perceived to address the increased demand for eco-conscious catalyzed processes. A useful lignin-functionalized cobalt (Lig-Co) catalyst has been prepared, well-characterized and deployed for the catalyzed reducing decomposition of stable harmful organic pollutants such as methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO), in simple and binary systems. The multifunctional character of lignin and the presence of various active sites can promote effectively loaded metal nanoparticles (NPs). Considerably, optimizing detoxification tests showed that the uncatalyzed use of NaBH4 as a reductive agent led to an incomplete reduction of organic contaminants over a long period of up to 65 min. Interestingly, Lig-Co catalyst exhibited a high reduction rate and turnover frequency of up to 99.23% and 24.12 min−1 for MB, respectively, while they reached 99.25% and 26.21 min−1 for MO at normal temperature. Kinetically quick catalytic reaction was also demonstrated for the hybrid system, in which the rate constant k was 0.175 s−1 and 0.165 s−1 for MB and MO, respectively, within a distinctly low reaction time of around 120 s. The reproducibility of the Lig-Co catalyst induces a desirable capacity to reduce stable dyes present simultaneously in the binary system, with 6 successive catalytic runs and over 80% of activity retained. Such robust findings underline the considerable interest in developing future lignin-mediated catalytic transformations and upscaling biomass-derived products, to meet the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives in various industries.

A Review of Trade-Offs in Low ILUC-Risk Certification for Biofuels—Towards an Integrated Assessment Framework

Indirect land use change (ILUC) is considered a significant challenge, resulting from an increasing demand for biomass and bioenergy. On a political level sustainability certification of biomass-derived products is discussed as one potential instrument to manage the risk of ILUC. However, extending existing schemes towards a credible and reliable certification approach to account for ILUC-risks is still an open challenge. To develop such a certification instrument, so-called “additionality practices” are gaining relevance. Such practices include measures that an individual producer can adopt to provide an amount of biomass in addition to the business-as-usual feedstock production. This applies in particular to the certification of low ILUC-risk biofuels through voluntary certification schemes recognised by the European Commission. To date, however, no studies have been conducted that examine how such schemes account for potential trade-offs that may arise from the use of additionality practices. In preparation of an integrated assessment framework for low ILUC-risk certification, this study presents a gap analysis that examines whether such trade-offs are considered already in existing sustainability certification schemes for biofuels. In this way, we have found trade-offs that are preferentially addressed by the schemes, e.g., biodiversity loss, on the one hand, and considerable gaps for certain trade-offs, e.g., resource depletion, on the other. In addition, we identified biomass cultivation on unused land as the most promising additionality practice. Most schemes already have certification instruments in place to verify the large number of trade-offs that could be identified as preferentially addressed for this additionality practice. Moreover, only a few new criteria and indicators need to be developed for the small number of gaps found for biomass cultivation on unused land. Finally, this paper recommends future work to verify the scientific evidence of existing certification instruments for the trade-offs addressed and to develop assessment approaches for the identified gaps.

Hydrogen Sulfide Removal via Sorption Process on Activated Carbon-Metal Oxide Composites Derived from Different Biomass Sources.

Biomass exploitation is a global trend due to the circular economy and the environmentally friendly spirit. Numerous applications are now based on the use of biomass-derived products. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a highly toxic and environmentally hazardous gas which is emitted from various processes. Thus, the efficient removal of this toxic hazardous gas following cost-effective processes is an essential requirement. In this study, we present the synthesis and characterization of biomass-derived activated carbon/zinc oxide (ZnO@AC) composites from different biomass sources as potential candidates for H2S sorption. The synthesis involved a facile method for activated carbon production via pyrolysis and chemical activation of biomass precursors (spent coffee, Aloe-Vera waste leaves, and corncob). Activated carbon production was followed by the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles into the porous carbon matrix using a simple melt impregnation method. The synthesized ZnO@AC composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen porosimetry. The H2S removal performance of the ZnO@AC composites was evaluated through sorption experiments using a handmade apparatus. Our findings demonstrate that the Aloe-Vera-, spent coffee-, and corncob-derived composites exhibit superior H2S sorption capacity up to 106 mgH2S/gads., 66 mgH2S/gads., and 47 mgH2S/gads., respectively.

A Coculture of Photoautotrophs and Hydrolytic Heterotrophs Enables Efficient Upcycling of Starch from Wastewater toward Biomass-Derived Products: Synergistic Interactions Impacting Metabolism of the Consortium.

Even with particular interest in sustainable development, due to the limited types of bioavailable carbon sources that could support heterotrophic/mixotrophic growth, microalgae-derived products still suffer from inconsistent yield and high costs. This study demonstrates a successful cocultivation of the photoautotroph Chlorella vulgaris with a hydrolytic-enzyme-abundant heterotroph, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, enabling efficient starch upcycling from water/wastewater toward enhancing microalgae-dominant biomass and lipid production. The enzymatic activities of S. fibuligera contributed to the hydrolysis of starch into glucose, generating a 7-fold higher biomass through mixotrophic/heterotrophic growth of C. vulgaris. Further, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and quantitative analysis suggested a significantly induced accumulation of lipids in C. vulgaris. Results of meta-transcriptomics revealed the critical regulatory role of illumination in interaction shifting. Gene expression for glycolysis and lipid biosynthesis of C. vulgaris were highly activated during dark periods. Meanwhile, during illumination periods, genes coding for glucoamylase and the sulfur-related activities in S. fibuligera were significantly upregulated, leading to induced starch hydrolysis and potential increased competition for sulfur utilization, respectively. This study indicates that hydrolytic organisms could collaborate to make starch bioavailable for nonhydrolytic microalgae, thus broadening the substrate spectrum and making starch a novel biotechnological feedstock for microalgae-derived products, e.g., biofuels or single-cell protein.

Rh-dispersed Cu nanowire catalyst for boosting electrocatalytic hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Electrocatalytic conversion of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) presents a compelling strategy for the production of premium chemicals via the utilization of renewable energy sources. Exploring efficient catalytic systems to obtain highly selective BHMF has remained a giant challenge. A design strategy is proposed here to regulate active hydrogen (Hads) production in rhodium (Rh) nanoparticles grown on Cu nanowires (RhCu NWs) catalyst, which achieves a faradaic efficiency (FE) of 92.6% in the electrocatalytic reduction of HMF to BHMF at −20 mA cm−2 with no degradation in performance after 8 cycles. Kinetic investigations and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy reveal that the incorporation of Rh accelerates the water dissociation and facilitates the generation of Hads. In situ attenuated total reflection surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) further demonstrates that the Rh component boosts the proportion of ordered weakly hydrogen-bonded water molecules on the catalyst surface, which is much easier to dissociate. The construction of an interfacial Hads-rich environment promotes the HMF intermediates binding with Hads to BMHF, thereby suppressing the formation of undesired dimers. This work demonstrates the promise of altering the interfacial water environment as a strategy to boost the electrosynthetic properties of biomass-derived products toward value-added outcomes.

Clean H2 Production by Lignin-Assisted Electrolysis in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Flow Reactor.

Biomass-derived products, such as lignin, are interesting resources for energetic purposes. Lignin is a natural polymer that, when added to the anode of an alkaline exchange membrane water electrolyser, enhances H2 production rates and efficiencies due to the substitution of the oxygen evolution reaction. Higher efficiencies are reported when different catalytic materials are employed for constructing the lignin anolyte, demonstrating that lower catalytic loadings for the anode improves the H2 production when compared to higher loadings. Furthermore, when a potential of -1.8 V is applied, higher gains are obtained than when -2.3 V is applied. An increase of 200% of H2 flow rates with respect to water electrolysis is reported when commercial lignin is used coupled with Pt-Ru at 0.09 mg cm-2 and E = -1.8 V is applied at the cathode. This article provides deep information about the oxidation process, as well as an optimisation of the method of the lignin electro-oxidation in a flow-reactor as a pre-step for an industrial implementation.

Biomass Polygeneration System for the Thermal Conversion of Softwood Waste into Hydrogen and Drop-In Biofuels

In order to keep the +1.5 °C over-temperature, previously predicted with high confidence by IPPC Sixth Assessment, as minimal as feasible, it is more than vital to achieve a low-emission energy system. Polygeneration systems based on thermochemical processes involve biomass conversion in multi-output of bioenergy carriers and chemicals. Due to reduced energy input and input/output diversification, polygeneration energy systems are considered interesting pathways that can increase competitiveness of biomass-derived products. The proposed route of fast pyrolysis, sorption-enhanced biochar gasification and crude bio-oil hydrodeoxygenation to produce drop-in biofuel and hydrogen is examined. Both kinetic and equilibrium approaches were implemented in Aspen Plus to take into account the effect of the major operating parameters on the process performance and then validated against the literature data. Results show how the process integration leads to improved mass conversion yield and increases overall energy efficiency up to 10%-points, reaching the maximum value of 75%. Among the various parameters investigated, pyrolysis temperature influences mainly the products distribution while Steam/Biochar and Sorbent/Biochar affect the energy conversion efficiency.

Highly electrically conductive biomass-derived carbon fibers for permanent carbon sequestration

Carbon fiber derived from biomass is an excellent method for permanently sequestering carbon from the atmosphere because of the chemical inertness of carbon fiber and its versatile applications. However, many biomass-derived carbon fibers fall short in producing high electrical conductivities. Here, we demonstrate bamboo cellulose derived carbon with high electrical conductivity that can permanently sequester 0.85 t of carbon/ha of bamboo/year. To fabricate carbon fibers, bamboo cellulose macrofibers were extracted from bamboo via performic acid treatment and air-drying, followed by stabilization and carbonization to create conductive carbon fibers. The carbon fibers were sequentially Joule-heated to form graphitized carbon fiber at ∼2000 °C for 20–30 s. The resulting carbon fibers demonstrated very high alignment of nanofibrils with high electrical conductivity of 25,300 ± 6270 S/m, which is one of the higher values among reported biomass-derived carbon fibers. Furthermore, a hectare of bamboo can capture 17 t of carbon per year, and the obtained carbon fiber can permanently store 0.85 t of the captured carbon. Additionally, lignin from the delignification process could be processed into valuable products such as battery anodes, wound dressings, supercapacitors, and biobased epoxies. Compared to existing biomass-derived products, the fabrication method presented here is inexpensive and produces fibers with very high electrical conductivity, suggesting fibers could be used in low-cost, high quantity applications such as concrete or bridge sensors requiring electrical conductivity and thermoplastic or resin impregnation.

Biomass-derived carbon sponges for use as sodium-ion capacitor electrodes

A high performance Na-ion capacitor has been assembled by using S-doped carbon sponges and highly porous carbon sponges produced from biomass-derived products by using sustainable salt-templating approaches.

Leveraging the bioeconomy for carbon drawdown

A review and analysis of opportunities for long-term carbon dioxide removal and storage in biomass-derived products.

Selective hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived phenols to alkyl cyclohexanols over highly dispersed RuFe bimetallic catalysts

Selective hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of phenolic compounds derived from the pyrolysis lignin-oil to desired products is a promising route in the high-value utilization of biomass-derived products. Cyclohexanol, as one of the important chemical materials, is an intermediate of catalytic HDO of guaiacol. Controllable selective HDO is conducted to improve the cyclohexanol selectivity over RuFe bimetallic catalyst prepared by ethylene glycol reduction method in this work. 99.99% guaiacol conversion and 81.35% cyclohexanol selectivity are obtained over optimized 2Ru2.5Fe/Al2O3-EG catalyst, which is better than those over 2Ru/Al2O3-EG catalyst. The mild catalyst preparation method gives it a high dispersion and uniform distribution of Ru and Fe species on the support. Various characterizations have proved that the intimate contact between Ru and Fe2O3 species contributes to the improvement of cyclohexanol selectivity. Partial blockage of Ru sites by Fe2O3 species slightly reduces the hydrogen adsorption capacity while the addition of Fe helps enhancing the hydrogenolysis of C-OMe bond. The reciprocal effect facilitates the removal of methoxyl groups and hinders the dehydroxylation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexane. Besides, other phenolic compounds and pyrolysis lignin-oil as substrates also show good selective HDO reactivity to corresponding alkyl cyclohexanols, implying potential application in the transformation from lignin-oil to high-value products.

Solar pyrolysis of cotton stalks: Combined effects of torrefaction pretreatment and HZSM-5 zeolite on the bio-fuels upgradation

Solar pyrolysis of biomass is a novel method for bio-fuels production. In this study, cotton stalks were first subjected to solar torrefaction at 200–300 °C, and then subjected to solar catalytic pyrolysis at 550 °C. The effects of torrefaction deoxygenation pretreatment and HZSM-5 zeolite on the bio-fuels (gas, biochar, and bio-oil) upgradation was investigated. Results showed that the elements of cotton stalks removed via torrefaction follow the order of deoxygenation > dehydrogenation > decarbonization. Torrefaction pretreatment has a remarkably influence on the subsequent catalytic pyrolysis. The bio-oil and gas yields were considerably reduced while the biochar yield increased with increasing torrefaction temperature. The primary pyrolytic volatiles cracked under the HZSM-5 catalyst, followed by a series of deoxygenation and aromatization reactions to form H2O, CO2, CO, alkanes, olefins, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Consequently, the oxygen-containing functional groups were removed to generate hydrocarbons that were rich in bio-oil, meanwhile the selective yield of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) increased remarkably. Moreover, the torrefaction pretreatment inhibited the formation of coke deposited on the catalyst and promoted the carbon yield in the biochar. Considering the benefits of electricity savings, the approach proposed herein is a potential way to improve the competitiveness of biomass-derived products.

Updated view of tars for psoriasis: what have we learned over the last decade?

Tars are one of the most effective, unknown, and oldest therapies for psoriasis. They include coal tar (CT) and biomass-derived products. These treatments, particularly the CT, have proven to be cost-effective with long remission times compared to other systemic or topical treatments. However, they have hardly evolved in recent years, as they are not well-embraced by clinicians or patients because of concerns regarding cosmesis and safety. This review summarizes current knowledge about the chemical characterization, mechanism of action, toxicity, and clinical studies supporting the use of tars for psoriasis over the last decade. Trends within these above aspects are reviewed, and avenues of research are identified. CT is rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, whereas biomass-derived tars are rich in phenols. While the activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor is involved in the antipsoriatic effect of CT, the mechanism of action of biomass-derived products remains to be elucidated. No conclusive evidence exists about the risk of cancer in psoriasis patients under CT treatment. Large, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials are necessary to promote the inclusion of tars as part of modern therapies for psoriasis.

Tuning active sites of N-doped porous carbon catalysts derived from vinasse for high-performance electrochemical sensing

N-doped biomass-derived porous carbon was synthesized by the pyrolysis of sugarcane-vinasse to develop a novel metal-free catalyst in electrochemical sensing. Vinasse samples were subjected to different pyrolysis temperatures under nitrogen flow to investigate the effect of the pyrolysis temperature on the physical properties of the biomass-derived products. The XPS results displayed that as-pyrolyzed samples contain N atoms with an atomic ratio of 3.02%. While a low surface area of 1.5 m2/g was measured from the sample pyrolyzed at 600 °C, the increase in the temperature yielded a large surface area of 620 m2/g. Additional heat treatment was implemented to tailor N-binding sites. Samples were then used as electroactive catalysts for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrochemical sensing. Vinasse-P-10@N-based sensors showed much-improved sensor performance in a linear range of 0.03–12 mM with a high sensitivity of 208.97 µA mM−1 cm−2.

Comparative study of electric-heating torrefaction and solar-driven torrefaction of biomass: Characterization of property variation and energy usage with torrefaction severity

Torrefaction is a promising pretreatment for upgrading biomass raw materials, which is traditionally performed using electric heating. In this study, torrefaction of three biomass materials (peanut shell, soybean straw, and pine wood) was performed using a new solar-driven torrefaction (Solar-T) in a temperature range of 200–300 °C for 15–45 min. Property variation and energy usage required for electric-heating torrefaction (Electric-T) of biomass was also analyzed for comparison. Results showed that the properties of torrefied biomass were greatly affected by both biomass species and torrefaction methods. Among the three biomass materials, soybean straw had the lowest solid yield (43.2% in Electric-T, 42.9% in Solar-T) and energy yield (50.8% in Electric-T, 51.3% in Solar-T) under the most severe torrefaction condition (300 °C, 45 min). A linear correlation with a high correlation coefficient was obtained between the biomass conversion (decarbonization, dehydrogenation, deoxygenation) and the torrefaction severity index. The deoxygenation efficiency of peanut shell, soybean straw, and pine wood in Solar-T (300 °C, 45 min) was 2.0%, 1.6%, and 1.2% higher than the corresponding value in Electric-T, respectively. Energy usage results showed that electrical energy consumed during Electric-T increased with increasing torrefaction severity, but the energy efficiency decreased. The remarkable advantage of Solar-T was energy savings, because no electrical energy was required for Solar-T. Considering the energy-mass co-benefit index, solar-torrefied biomass samples were more transportable than the samples torrefied using Electric-T. Therefore, Solar-T has the potential to replace Electric-T and improve the competitiveness of biomass-derived products.

Utilization of the Coffee Ground-Derived Hard Carbon and Enhancement of Its Electrochemical Performance Via Sulfur Doping

Waste reduction and recycling performance in global economic and ecologic spheres are beginning to take shape every year. Undoubtedly, a particular attention is being devoted to the utilization of biomass-derived products for battery fabrication. It is significant to note that a selection of relevant biomass material, possessing a high and stable capacity (~300 mAh/g) within 200 cycles is a challenging part, becoming the main objective of the research project.In this context, coffee ground derived anode material for Sodium-ion battery (SIB) preserved a semi-stable structure with intergranular and microcracks due to the successive thermal treatments. Hydrothermal conversion processes acts as a significant part of the thermal conversion from coffee ground to hard carbon due to the continuous re-condensation reactions, allowing fabricating low surface area and blocked pores. Doping hard carbon with S improved electrochemical performance by achieving higher capacity than undoped material. The sulfur doped carbonized material has a unique porous structure that increased specific surface area and provided additional active site for sodium ion adsorption. Subsequently, further investigation will be focused on enhancement of hard carbon’s pores. Acknowledgments This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Grant (AP09259165), “Utilization of the biowaste-derived carbon and enhancement of its electrochemical performance via doping”.

Techno-economic evaluation of microalgae-based supply chain: Review on recent approaches

Third generation biomass-derived products such as biofuel has been garnering attention as a viable alternative energy source recently as it does not necessarily require fresh water and vast land for cultivation as compared to first-generation and second-generation biomass. However, extensive studies have to go into the feasibility evaluation for third generation biomass utilization prior to upscaling the process to commercial level. Other than comprehensive technical evaluation such as experimental studies to understand the microalgae productivity, economic evaluation of the utilization of third-generation biomass is also critical specifically in the perspective of supply chain. Therefore, the objective of this review is to lay out an overall picture to the readers the various option of approaches or methods utilized in feasibility evaluation of the microalgae-based supply chain. The outcome of the review paper indicated that approximately 58% of the papers reviewed opted for mathematical modeling with optimization whereas the remaining 42% opted for mathematical modeling without optimization.