Biomass Composition and Conversion Lignocellulosic biomass Hardwood hybrid

Biomass Composition and Conversion

Lignocellulosic biomass § § Hardwood (hybrid poplar, sweetgum, …) Softwood (pine, spruce, …) Grasses (switchgrass, miscanthus, …) Agricultural residues (wheat straw, corn stover, …)

Chemical Composition of biomass Switchgrass chemical composition (%) Extractives 8. 3 -15. 7 Lignin 18. 0 -20. 7 Cellulose 32. 0 -36. 8 Hemicellulose 21. 1 -22. 6 Ash 2. 1 -3. 7 Cellulose (%) Hemicellulose (%) Lignin (%) Extractives (%) Ash (%) Hybrid Poplar 29. 2 -37. 0 15. 5 -18. 4 24. 2 -26. 1 6. 9 -18. 2 0. 5 -1. 0 Pine 42. 2 -42. 7 19. 3 -19. 9 32. 0 -32. 9 -3. 7 0. 4 -0. 5

Analogous model of a biobased product flow-chart for biomass feedstocks. From Top value-added chemicals from biomass report - http: //www 1. eere. energy. gov/biomass/pdfs/35523. pdf

Non Structural: Extractives coconut odor b-methyl-g-octalactone (whisky-lactone) vanilla odor clove odor Eugenol Vanillin Flavonoids (Antioxidant activities) a-pinene α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Policosanols (long-chain primary alcohols)- improve blood lipid levels, reduce platelet aggregation Docosanol (C 22), Tetracosanol (C 24), Hexacosanol (C 26), Octacosanol (C 28), Triacontanol (C 30), and Dotriacontanol (C 32).

Non Structural: Ash Inorganic composition of switchgrass ash (%) Zn Al 0. 1 -0. 2 0. 1 -0. 3 Si 22. 3 -45. 5 Ca 13. 5 -18. 7 Fe 0. 3 -2. 4 K 15. 0 -29. 7 • Corrosion • Slagging and fouling • Catalyst impairment • Catalytic properties Mg 9. 7 -12. 8 S 3. 2 -6. 0 P Na Mn 4. 3 -14. 6 0. 3 -1. 3 0. 4 -0. 7 http: //biomassproject. blogspot. com/2014/01/chlorinecorrosion-ghost-feared. html

Structural: Cellulose Glucose: C 6 sugar v Paper products: paper, paperboard, v Fibers: rayon, cellophane, v Biofuels: ethanol, butanol, . . . , v Consumables: powder cellulose used an inactive fillers in drug tablets, thickeners and stabilizers in processed foods, v Bioplastics: microbeads used inside a host of liquids that require abrasives such as toothpaste or cosmetics, Bottles, … v Chemicals, …

Structural: Hemicellulose Xylose: C 5 sugar Mannose: C 6 sugar Galactose: C 6 sugar Arabinose: C 5 sugar v Biofuels: ethanol, butanediol, . . . , v Chemicals: furfural, lactic acid used in food, pharmaceutical and textile industries, v Xylitol: used for food applications (sweetener, chewing gums), pharmaceutical and cosmetics (mouthwashes and toothpastes) v Bioplastics: Polylactic acid is the raw material

Structural: Lignin CARBON FIBER (cars, wind turbine, aircraft) v Energy: power for biorefinery v Chemicals: vanillin used a fragrance for food preparations, intermediate in herbicides, antifoaming agents, ingredient in household products, … v Resins, concrete mixtures v Fibers: carbon fibers, carbon foams v Bioplastic: garbage bags, …

Biomass Conversion