This SBIR Phase I project will test and develop the concept of enhancing the conversion of cellulose to glucose by providing the accessibility of the enzymes to the cellulose fibers at the nanoscale level. The project addresses a serious deficiency that currently exists in bio-fuels production from cellulose-based biomass. The goal is to increase the disaggregation of cellulose and starch so that it can be subsequently degraded using enzymes to a greater degree than presently possible. This "pre-treatment" process will allow enhanced conversion of starch and cellulose to simple sugars and allow for higher rates of anaerobic methane production.
The broader/commercial impact of the project will include creation of a pre-treatment approach leading to the ability to overcome a current limitation in the biodegradation and conversion of cellulose and starch (biomass) to bio-fuels. This could make bio-fuels more available in the longer term using a wider variety of residual biomass as feed stocks. It is likely that glucose from cellulose would become economically competitive with corn starch based glucose for production of bio-fuels, both ethanol and higher alcohols. This technology could produce cellulosic bio-fuels with an incubation time comparable to current starch-based production methods.
NSF SBIR Grant # 1013497 To Cellulose Sciences International The key results of work undertaken under the Phase I program and the complementary Phase I-B were confirmation that pulps treated by the CSI process to make them nanoporous impart to handsheets properties that correlate with superior performance when the pulps are used to produce personal sanitary paper products such as tissue, towels and feminine hygiene products. The results leave little question that the CSI process represents a major breakthrough that is likely to produce significant advances in the manufacture of sanitary paper products. These results have become the basis for contacts with a number of major producers of such products as well companies that provide the producers with process equipment and others that supply them with pulps. Many have expressed interest and are actively pursuing CSI technology. Multiple experimental programs were carried out. The first focused on northern softwood kraft pulp (NSWK). It demonstrated the considerable advantages of the CSI treated pulps. However, commercial products from virgin fibers are usually made from blended furnishes that typically contain 30% to 40% of NSWP and 60% to 70% of a hardwood kraft pulp. Thus a second series of experiments was carried with CSI treated northern hardwood kraft NHWK blended in with NSWK. Two other series were also carried out. One was with mercerized NHWK to allow comparison of sheets containing CSI treated pulps with ones containing mercerized pulps. This was done because in commercial practice mercerized NHWK is found to provide some increase in bulk, one of the key performance correlated properties. This series showed that the performance of the CSI treated NHWK was significantly superior to mercerized NHWK. The final series of experiments was with recycled pulp. This was carried out because increasing concern with environmental impact has led to considerable expansion of production of sanitary paper products from recycled fibers. The use of such products is very common and increasing in the "away from home market", that is, hotels, restaurants and many public and commercial buildings. In summary, without exception, the results of the handsheets property measurements left little question that inclusion of CSI treated pulps in furnishes to produce sanitary paper products results in significant enhancements of performance properties; the results represent a major breakthrough. But in addition, it is the expectation of all who have been consulted that the elasticity of CSI treated pulps would allow water removal by pressing during sheet formation to a greater extent than is currently possible. This is expected to translate into significant energy savings of 20% to 30% in the drying part of the production process. Equally important, it is expected to allow faster operation of the paper machines by a factor of 10% to 15%, resulting in greater productivity of a major capital investment. The breakthrough nature of the results are perhaps best represented in the attached diagram showing the effects of the CSI treatment on sheet bulk, a key measure of efficacy. The data for this diagram are based on blending in different hardwood pulps with the network forming NSWK. The CSI treated NHWK pulp is compared with the untreated NHWK, the mercerized NHWK as well as a eucalyptus pulp; the latter is included because it is the pulp most often used. The superior performance of the CSI treated NHWK clearly indicates a very important opportunity to substitute less expensive domestic hardwood pulps for the eucalyptus, which has to be imported from Brazil. It also shows that inclusion of 25 to 30% of CSI treated pulp is likely to be adequate, thus enhancing the economic advantage. And important consequence of the work carried out is that NHWK pulps, which are available in large quantities, when treated with the CSI process are competitive with the much more expensive eucalyptus pulps imported from South America.
