GVL-Catalyzed Biomass Conversion for Sustainable Biofuels

Date:November 13, 2012

Country: United States

Application

• The main applications of this project include the production of furfural, a key solvent used in adhesives and polymers, and levulinic acid, which is used in solvents and fuel additives.

Description

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a novel biomass conversion process that uses gamma-valerolactone (GVL) to simultaneously process the two main components of plant biomass—hemicellulose and cellulose—into high-demand chemicals like furfural and levulinic acid. By using GVL, a solvent already produced during the conversion, the need for expensive pretreatment steps to separate hemicellulose and cellulose is eliminated. This process operates efficiently in a single reactor

Pathway Description:

The process used in this project involves the use of gamma-valerolactone (GVL) as a solvent to simultaneously convert hemicellulose and cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass into valuable chemicals, such as furfural and levulinic acid. GVL broadens the optimal conditions for processing both components, allowing them to be processed in a single reactor