A Novel Extractive Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX) Process

Introduction

 

In the continuing push to develop alternative fuels, bioethanol is clearly a viable option. However, if it is to become a truly economical alternative, a more effective and efficient method of processing lignocellulosic biomass must be developed.

 

Description of Technology 

 

Michigan State University has developed a novel lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment process that results in the formation of highly digestible cellulose III allomorph. The method also provides the option to simultaneously extract biologically inhibitory cell-wall extracts such as lignin, lignin decomposition products, xylo-oligosaccharides, and amides using essentially anhydrous liquid ammonia pretreatment (ALAP). This is important because cellulose crystallinity, lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) ester linkages, and non-specific enzymes binding to cell wall components (like lignin) are the major rate-limiting steps to efficient cell wall deconstruction. Non-crystalline cellulose (known as amorphous cellulose) has a four-to-five-times higher rate of enzymatic hydrolysis than native crystalline cellulose.

 

Key Benefits

  • More readily digestible product: The ALAP process produces amorphous cellulose, which is considered a more highly digestible form of cellulose than native cellulose I.
  • Flexibility: Two streams are created by the process: one rich in cellulose and the other in hemicellulose-lignin. Each stream has the potential to be used to produce different products.

 

Applications

  • Cellulosic biofuels: The invention would be beneficial to companies focusing on novel lignocellulosic biofuel production processes.
  • Biomaterials: The resultant lignin fraction has potential to be used for the production of various biomaterials.

 

Patent Status

 

Patent pending

 

Inventors

 

Shishir Chundawat, Leonardo da Costa Sousa, Albert Cheh, Venkatesh Balan, Bruce Dale

 

Tech ID

 

TEC2010-0090

 

Learn more about the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) at MSU 

 

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For Information, Contact:

Thomas Herlache
Assistant Director
Michigan State University
herlache@msu.edu