Objective of this project is to develop an energy efficient recyclable catalytic process for transformation of biomass to biocrude oil, which can be converted to transportation liquid fuels similar to petroleum liquid fuels using a catalytic hydrogenation step. This goal will be achieved by the development 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. This project is based on the hypothesis, acidic ionic liquids are excellent recyclable catalysts for three tandem catalytic processes: depolymerization-dehydration-aldol condensation. First, cellulose and hemicelluloses in the biomass undergoes a sulfonic acid functionalized acidic ionic liquid catalyzed depolymerization to glucose and xylose at a relatively low temperature. In the second step catalyst will dehydrate the monosaccharides into a furan mixture, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural. Thirdly 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 furans and acetone, as well as acetone self-condensation products.
In this project the PI will prepare a series of acidic ionic liquid catalysts with a verity of ionic core structures, counter ions, and acidic groups such as -SO3H, and -CF2-SO3H, attached to the ionic liquid structure with spacer groups of different lengths, to evaluate their catalytic activities in the single reactor conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to furanic biocrude oil at moderate temperatures and pressures in acetone or 2-butanone medium. The key features include (a) -SO3H group functionalized Br nsted acid ionic liquids are a unique type of catalysts that can efficiently catalyze all three processes: cellulose hydrolysis, monosaccharide dehydration, and aldol condensation (b) all three catalytic processes can be carried out in tandem in a single reactor operation (c) very low catalyst loading is required for these ionic liquid catalysts (d) Br nsted acid ionic liquids catalysts are highly water soluble, can be easily separated from hydrophobic crude-oil product, therefore these catalysts are nearly 100% recyclable with negligible loss in catalytic activity (e) acetone or 2-butanone will be used as the solvent/ reaction partner, and these ketones can be produced from biomass resources, therefore all carbons in the final fuel product is originated from renewable resources (f) biocrude oil synthesis process can be carried out at mild temperatures and relatively low pressures, therefore can be carried out in a simple reactor, and saves energy.
The project includes 9a) broad-based education, and cutting-edge research training opportunities in instrumental techniques, interdisciplinary research, biomass processing, and sustainable energy technologies for undergraduate and graduate students, particularly for women and underrepresented minorities in a HBCU (b) PI and students will actively participate in regional, national and international meetings to present their research to the broader scientific community, and will publish in widely circulated journals (c) educate the public on sustainable energy, and how to relieve the dependence on petroleum fuels (d) potential to develop an economical industrial process to produce third generation drop-in biofuels, which can be refined in existing oil refineries, and should work in current internal combustion and jet engines with no or minimum modifications.
