Physico-chemical Characterization during the Preparation of Biomass as Feedstock for Bioenergy and Bioproducts

木质纤维素生物质在用作生物产品和生物能源生产的原料时具有许多挑战。如果要将其用于直接能源生产、热化学和生物化学转化，则其形式必须是运输和转化具有成本效益的。此外，如果将其用作生物化学转化的原料，则木质纤维素基质必须被分解成纤维素、半纤维素和木质素。该研究计划将研究来自农作物残留物和城市固体废物的生物质的物理和化学（成分，吸水性和极性）特性及其相互作用，以基本了解生物质颗粒在加工和准备生产生物材料，生物能源，生物燃料和其他生物产品时所经历的命运。生物质颗粒可以通过使用微生物、微波、射频能量、脉冲电场、蒸汽爆炸和烘焙预处理而经受不同的预处理选项。来自作物残渣的生物质的预处理对于致密化也非常重要，以便不使用粘合剂并具有高质量的致密化产品。经过加工和预处理的生物质要进行致密化（造粒、挤出和团聚），因为致密化的形式易于有效地运输到最终用户。 该计划将被细分为两个活动（其中每个活动相互依赖，可以同时进行），即a）生物质的预处理和B）生物质的致密化。在进行预处理和致密化之后，将使用标准化学方法和使用傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）和加拿大光源处的软X射线光束线来确定生物质的组成和生物质不同部分内的组分分布。生物质组分（数量和分布）的快速表征将是该研究计划的一个潜在贡献。还将确定致密化过程中用于压缩和压实过程的预处理生物质的物理化学性质，以生成设计和开发该操作所需设备所需的信息。在生物质的预处理和致密化之后，还将进行致密化的生物质的物理化学表征以确定木质纤维素基质分解成其基本组分的程度和容易程度以及其生物化学或热化学转化的适合性和容易程度。

Lignocellulosic biomass has many challenges when used as feedstock for bioproducts and bioenergy production. If it were to be used for direct energy production, thermochemical and biochemical conversion, it must be in a form that is cost effective to transport and convert. Furthermore, if it were to be used as feedstock for biochemical conversion, the lignocellulosic matrix has to be broken down into cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. This research program will examine the physical and chemical (composition, water adsorption and polarity) properties of biomass from agricultural crop residues and municipal solid waste and their interaction to gain basic understanding of the fate that biomass particles undergo as they are processed and prepared for the production of biomaterials, bioenergy, biofuel and other bioproducts. Biomass particles may be subjected to different pretreatment options by use of microbial, microwave, radio frequency energy, pulsed electric field, steam explosion and torrefaction pretreatments. The pretreatment of biomass from crop residue is also very important for densification so as not to use binders and to have high quality densified products. The processed and pretreated biomass is subjected to densification (pelletization, extrusion and agglomeration) because densified forms are easy and efficient to transport to end users. The program will be subdivided into two activities (where each activity is interdependent upon one another and may be conducted simultaneously), namely a) the pretreatment of biomass and b) the densification of biomass. After being subjected to pretreatment and densification, the composition of biomass and the distribution of components within the different parts of the biomass will be determined both using standard chemical methods and the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the soft x-ray beamline at the Canadian Light Source. Rapid characterization of the components (quantity and distribution) of biomass will be one potential contribution of this research program. The physicochemical properties of the pretreated biomass for the compression and compaction processes during densification will also be determined to generate information required for the design and development of the equipment required for this operation. After the pretreatment and densification of biomass, the physicochemical characterization of the densified biomass will also be carried to determine the extent and ease of the breakdown of the lignocellulosic matrix into their basic components and its suitability and ease of biochemical or thermochemical conversion.