CBET: A two step chemocatalytic conversion of cellulosic biomass to hydrocarbon biofuels

我们经济的长期安全需要一系列国内原料来生产燃料和化学品。生物质是一个有希望的选择；然而，仍然需要可靠、可再生和经济的转化技术。该项目涉及支持转换技术使用仅用于燃料生产的资源的基础知识。该项目致力于将木质纤维素生物质直接转化为生物油，这种生物油有可能替代汽油和其他燃料。这些燃料将适用于目前的汽车内燃机和航空运输。该项目研究了一种新型催化剂，它具有三种功能，可以将纤维素、半纤维素和木质素的生物质结构分解成更小的化学实体，然后转化为燃料混合物。催化剂混合物是可回收的，并且很容易从产品混合物中回收。更简单的两步法工艺、催化剂的回收和原料产品的较高产率可实现潜在的节约。由此产生的产品将是稳定的，并具有高能量含量，可以与现有的燃料储备混合。该项目的教育活动强调本科生的研究和对高中学生参与STEM职业生涯的推广。该项目的目标是研究一种将生物质转化为下一代碳氢生物燃料的高效、可回收的两步催化过程。这一目标将通过设计一种可回收的催化剂来实现，该催化剂可以在温和的条件下通过单一反应器操作从木质纤维生物质中生产C5-C20范围内部分氧化的呋喃烯型生物原油。在第一步转化中，生物质中的纤维素和半纤维素在相对较低的温度下经历酸性离子液体催化解聚为葡萄糖和木糖。在下一阶段，催化剂将使单糖脱水成呋喃混合物，即5-羟甲基呋喃和呋喃。在最后的反应步骤中，呋喃甲醛将在酸催化下与丙酮进行羟醛缩合反应。该复杂产品将由生物质衍生呋喃和丙酮之间的交叉羟醛缩合生成的C5-C20系列化合物以及丙酮自缩合产物组成。这种催化过程产生的生物粗品是稳定的，由定义明确的稳定的呋喃烯和烯酮产物组成，然后利用现有的催化还原技术将其升级为碳氢化合物。

The long-term security of our economy requires a portfolio of domestic feedstocks to produce fuels and chemicals. Biomass is a promising choice; however, conversion technologies that are reliable, reproducible and economic are still needed. This project addresses fundamental knowledge supporting a conversion technology uses resources that are targeted solely for fuels production. This project addresses direct conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into a bio-oil that has the potential to be a drop-in replacement for gasoline and other fuels. These fuels would be applicable in current automotive internal combustion engines and for air transportation. The project researches a novel catalyst that serves three functions to break up the biomass structure of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin into smaller chemical entities that are converted into a fuel mixture. The catalyst mixture is recyclable and readily recovered from the product mixture. Potential savings are gained in a simpler 2-step process, recycling of catalyst, and higher yield of product from the feedstock. The resulting product would be stable and have high energy content to mix into existing fuel stockpiles. The project's educational activities stress undergraduate research and outreach to high school students for participation in STEM careers.The objective of the project is to research an energy efficient recyclable two step catalytic process for the transformation of biomass to next generation hydrocarbon biofuels. This goal will be achieved by the design of a recyclable catalyst that can produce C5-C20 range partially oxygenated furanic alkene type biocrude oil from lignocellulosic biomass in a single reactor operation under mild conditions. In the first conversion step, cellulose and hemicelluloses in the biomass undergoes an acidic ionic liquid catalyzed depolymerization to glucose and xylose at a relatively low temperature. In the next stage the catalyst will dehydrate the monosaccharides into a furan mixture, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural. In the final reaction step, the furan aldehydes will undergo acid catalyzed aldol condensation with acetone in the medium. The complex product will consist of C5-C20 range compounds resulting from cross aldol condensation between biomass derived furans and acetone, as well as acetone self-condensation products. The biocrude produced by this catalytic process is stable and composed of well-defined stable furanic alkene and enone products, which are then upgraded to hydrocarbons using established catalytic reduction technology.