SBIR Phase I: Novel Catalytic Membrane Reactor for the Production of Valuable Chemical Intermediates from Zero/Negative Value Feedstock and Waste

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是使用螺栓式催化膜反应器将非食品纤维素玉米纤维（玉米乙醇厂的低价值副产品）转化为可发酵糖，而无需建造新的设施。该项目的成功完成将使玉米乙醇生产商的收入来源多样化，最大限度地提高生产效率。该技术比自然存在的系统具有更高的效率，并且可以在不到一天的时间内完成转化，比现有的酶技术少5-10倍。该催化剂可重复使用，对环境友好。该项目采用具有专利酶替代催化剂的催化膜反应器，将纤维素生物质同时转化为可发酵糖，并以高产量一步分离水解糖。该催化剂由两个相邻的聚合纳米结构组成，一个是聚苯乙烯磺酸，另一个是从膜载体上接枝的聚（离子液体）链。两种类型的接枝聚合物链将协同作用结合和水解生物质底物，在性质上类似于纤维素酶的功能。聚苯乙烯磺酸链催化多糖水解成可溶性糖，而聚离子液体链则提高了合成催化剂的催化活性和选择性。所设计的催化剂的催化活性和选择性可以通过环取代和独立改变接枝纳米结构的性质来调整和优化。适当孔径的多孔膜可以使单体糖在释放后立即分离，从而推动正向反应，最大限度地减少酸催化糖降解，提高糖收率。除了可发酵的糖，催化剂还可以将纤维素生物质或其他碳水化合物（如农业残留物或食物垃圾）转化为生产生物基产品的平台化学品。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to convert non-food cellulosic corn fiber, a low-value byproduct from corn ethanol plants, to fermentable sugars using a bolt-on catalytic membrane reactor without the need to construct new facilities. The successful completion of the project will enable corn ethanol producers to diversify revenue streams, maximize production efficiencies. The proposed technology operates with higher efficiency than naturally occurring systems and can complete the conversion in less than one day, 5-10 times less than the exiting enzyme technology. The catalyst can be used repeatedly and is environmentally friendly. The proposed project relies on a catalytic membrane reactor with a patented enzyme replacement catalyst to simultaneously convert cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars and separate the hydrolyzed sugars with high yield in one step. This catalyst consists of two adjacent polymeric nanostructures, a polystyrene sulfonic acid and poly (ionic liquid) chains grafted from a membrane support. Two types of grafted polymer chains will act cooperatively to bind and hydrolyze the biomass substrate, similar in nature to the functions of cellulase enzymes. The polystyrene sulfonic acid chain catalyzes the hydrolysis of the polysaccharides to soluble sugars whereas the poly (ionic liquid) chain enhances the catalytic activity and selectivity of the synthesized catalyst. The catalytic activity and selectivity of the designed catalyst can be tuned and optimized by ring substitution and by varying independently the properties of the grafted nanostructures. A porous membrane with an appropriate pore size will enable the separation of monomer sugars immediately after they are released, thus driving the forward reaction, minimizing acid-catalyzed sugar degradation, and improving sugar yields. In addition to fermentable sugars, the catalyst can be tuned to convert cellulosic biomass or other carbohydrates such as agricultural residues or food waste into platform chemicals for the production of bio-based products.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.