MRI-R2: Acquisition of a suite of analytical instrumentation essential for investigating fuel, chemical and polymer production from biomass

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0959920Varanasi"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."The objective of this proposal is to acquire a system of analytical instruments that are essential for green synthesis of chemicals, fuels and materials from biomass feed-stocks. Two feed-stocks with potential to replace petro-refineries with sustainable bio-refineries are lignocellulosic biomass and algae. Several researchers at The University of Toledo are very actively involved in research projects dealing with production and conversion of these feed-stocks to fuels and value-added products (in collaboration with industry). Recovery, characterization and conversion of sugars, lipids, lignin, proteins, liquid fuels and other products from the process streams, generated by biochemical, thermo-chemical, and mechanical processing of these feed stocks, present significant challenges and require the development of new reaction, separation and purification methods. A suite of analytical facilities comprising (1) solution and solid-state NMR spectrometer (2) Solution/solid Raman Spectrometer (3) GC-MS system and (4) UV/Vis/IR spectrometer is essential to these endeavors and complements the facilities already available on the campus. Biomass conversion and bio-renewables has an outstanding research track record within university's energy & environment focus area. This area has the largest number of NSF and DOE funded researchers including senior faculty who have achieved national recognition for their pioneering work involving the use of ionic liquids in biomass pre-treatment, a NSF CAREER award winner, as well as junior faculty who are establishing their research programs. Acquisition of the proposed suite of equipment is critical to the growth and continued success of the bio-fuels and biomaterials research groups. The suite of analytical equipment will be used to study: deconstruction of lingo-cellulose via ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment, synthesis of novel ILs for biomass pretreatment, recovery of ILs following pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification of pretreated biomass, algal oil extraction, thermo-chemical conversion of biomass to bio-oils, syn-gas, bio-chars, liquid hydrocarbon fuels, bio-based surfactants, and bio-based polymer processing and characterization.