Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shiori Suzuki, Yosuke Hamano, Stephanie C. Hernandez, Naoki Wada, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: A facile approach for converting sugarcane bagasse into valuable thermoplastics has been proposed, achieving both excellent melt-flowability and tunable material properties while maintaining key mechanical performance.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephanie C. Hernandez, Hibiki Hikitia, Yosuke Hamano, Shiori Suzuki, Naoki Wada, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: To alleviate environmental problems caused by carbon dioxide emissions from petroleum-based plastics, an immediate shift to biomass-based plastics is required. Cellulose should be the desirable resource for bioplastics. However, the conversion process from cellulose to plastics is multistep and requires a pretreatment of the biomass.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaofang Liu, Hangyu Luo, Dayong Yu, Zhengfei Pei, Zhuangzhuang Zhang, Can Li
Summary: This mini-review discusses the properties and structures of ionic liquids, their application in the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, and the development of novel solid catalysts based on ionic liquids for cellulose and hemicellulose derived HMF production.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kapil Khandelwal, Sonil Nanda, Philip Boahene, Ajay K. Dalai
Summary: The global warming problem caused by the rapid use of fossil fuels is leading to an increased demand for sustainable energy sources, such as hydrogen. The demand for hydrogen has quadrupled from 18 million tons in 1975 to 90 million tons in 2020, and is projected to reach 180 million tons by 2030. This article reviews the conversion of biomass into hydrogen-rich syngas using supercritical water gasification, focusing on the thermophysical properties of supercritical water and the parameters influencing water gasification. The processes and reactions influencing the distribution of products during water gasification include hydrolysis, water-gas shift, methanation, hydrogenation, and reforming.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Tumpa R. Sarker, Falguni Pattnaik, Sonil Nanda, Ajay K. Dalai, Venkatesh Meda, Satyanarayan Naik
Summary: The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using hydrothermal methods like steam explosion and subcritical water hydrolysis is eco-friendly and cost-effective. These methods have the potential to efficiently convert biomass into biofuels and value-added chemicals. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and operating conditions of these promising technologies.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jude A. Okolie
Summary: This study proposes a hybrid deep learning model based on generative adversarial algorithm (GAN) to predict the composition of lignocellulosic biomass. The model utilizes both proximate and ultimate analyses as input features and compares the performance of different machine learning models, with random forest (RF) showing the best results. The implementation of GAN significantly enhances the model's performance.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Maria Angeles Perez-Liminana, Henoc Perez-Aguilar, Carlos Ruzafa-Silvestre, Elena Orgiles-Calpena, Francisca Aran-Ais
Summary: This study aims to utilize pruning wastes as a source of cellulose fibers for the development of sustainable textiles and fillers for footwear components. By optimizing the hydrothermal process, crystalline cellulose fibers were successfully extracted from the wastes, achieving more efficient removal of hemicellulose and lignin when the process was assessed over 25-33 minutes.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Shyamal Roy, Shishir P. S. Chundawat
Summary: Researchers have focused on the development of cellulosic ethanol as an alternative transportation fuel, with particular interest in using non-derivatizing ionic liquids for biomass pretreatment. This method facilitates the rapid processing of biomass into biofuels and addresses challenges such as cellulose's recalcitrance and operational concerns.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Elvira Tarasova, Nutan Savale, Illia Krasnou, Marina Kudrjasova, Vitalijs Rjabovs, Indrek Reile, Lauri Vares, Heikko Kallakas, Jaan Kers, Andres Krumme
Summary: This study synthesized various cellulose esters in an ionic liquid medium, which is an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional esterification. The results showed that the degree of substitution of cellulose esters increased with reaction time, temperature, and added vinyl esters. Structure analysis and thermal-rheological investigation revealed that the substitution of cellulose with acyl chains increased the melt viscosity of the material.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Umair Qasim, Sikander Rafiq, Farrukh Jamil, Ashfaq Ahmed, Touqeer Ali, Jaan Kers, M. Shahzad Khurram, Murid Hussain, Abrar Inayat, Young-Kwon Park
Summary: This article discusses the application of ionic liquids in lignocellulose processing and highlights their advantages over traditional chemicals and solvents. It also identifies areas for future research, such as the synthesis of low-cost ionic liquids and the integration of ionic liquid pretreatment processes.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kenkichi Taniguchi, Etty N. Kusumawati, Hidetaka Nanao, Chandrashekhar V. Rode, Osamu Sato, Aritomo Yamaguchi, Masayuki Shirai
Summary: Solvolysis of benzyl phenyl ether (BPE) in an aqueous ethanol solution under high-pressure carbon dioxide conditions resulted in the production of monoaromatics. The ethanol molar fraction was found to be the key factor for the solvolysis reaction, and the highest monoaromatic yield of 72.9% was obtained in a water:ethanol solution (2 cm³ : 1 cm³) at 598 K for 3 hours under a pressure of 18 MPa of carbon dioxide. Continuous production of monoaromatics was achieved through a flow system, with a yield of 76.7%.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ping An, Jian Shi, Yuxin Wang, Zizhen Yan, Jiaxiang Hou, Guangwen Xu, Haiming Yu, Lei Shi
Summary: Various strongly basic ionic liquids were synthesized using hydroxyethoxy anion from ethylene glycol. The alkalinity of these liquids was equivalent to sodium methoxide and they exhibited good catalytic performance in transesterification reactions. By comparing with reported catalysts, the reaction mechanism was deduced and the activation energies were determined. A new catalyst circulation process without introducing impurities was proposed and verified.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shusen Wang, Chun Zou, Chun Lou, Haiping Yang, Yang Pu, Jianghui Luo, Chao Peng, Cong Wang, Zhicong Li
Summary: This study investigates the co-combustion behaviors and synergistic effects between coal and lignocellulosic biomass, and coal and hemicellulose/cellulose/lignin under high heating rate conditions. The results show that there are synergistic effects during the devolatilization process, promoting homogeneous ignition and char ignition.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qiang Liu, Siming Zhu
Summary: This study presents a new and feasible method for dissolving and fractionating depectinated sugar beet pulp (SBP) using NaOH/Urea/H2O, ionic liquid, and alkaline treatment processes. Remarkably, the addition of 30% H2SO4 improves the dissolution rate of the complex structure of SBP. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis confirms the differing appearances of cellulose and hemicellulose obtained through both methods. Additionally, lignin fractions exhibit irregular high-density clusters composed of numerous submicron particles. The crystal structure of cellulose fractions transforms from cellulose I to cellulose II. The thermal stability of cellulose and lignin obtained by the ionic liquid method is slightly better than that obtained by NaOH/Urea/H2O. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 13C NMR analysis demonstrate the similar chemical structures of SBP cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin regenerated from NaOH/Urea/H2O and ionic liquid.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jaewon Byun, Oseok Kwon, Hoyoung Park, Jeehoon Han
Summary: This study compares four types of green vehicle operations using green fuel from food waste and finds that fuel cell vehicles are the most sustainable option due to their high potential driving distance, low economic cost, and high greenhouse gas reduction potential.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Gyanendra Sharma, Yui Kato, Ayumi Hachisu, Kojiro Ishibashi, Kazuaki Ninomiya, Kenji Takahashi, Eishu Hirata, Kosuke Kuroda
Summary: OE(2)imC(3)C is a unique solvent with distinctive properties and functions, but the expensive and sometimes out-of-production reagent used for synthesis hinders industrialization. This study successfully synthesized OE(2)imC(3)C using general and low-cost reagents while maintaining its properties and functions.
Review
Polymer Science
Shiori Suzuki, Azusa Togo, Tadahisa Iwata
Summary: Regenerated fibers made from polysaccharides, especially beta-1,3-glucan and alpha-1,3-glucan, have gained attention in the textile industry for their biocompatibility and biodegradability. The focus of this review is on the fiber properties of these polysaccharides and the parameters for dry-jet wet spinning, including dope concentration, spinning and coagulation solvents, and post-treatment methods.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yan Lyu, Shiori Suzuki, Hiroki Nagano, Kengo Shigetomi, Yutaka Tamai, Yuji Tsutsumi, Yasumitsu Uraki
Summary: The influence of polysaccharides on hardwood lignification was investigated using recombinant cationic cell wall-bound peroxidase (rCWPO-C) and partially acetylated xylan (AcXY). The results showed that AcXY plays a crucial role in the formation of spherical dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs) from coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol, highlighting the important functions of rCWPO-C and AcXY in hardwood lignification.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Stephanie C. Hernandez, Romain Milotskyi, Shohei Takagi, Elisabeth R. D. Ito, Shiori Suzuki, Naoki Wada, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: Cellulose mixed esters (CMEs) with tunable properties are difficult to produce due to the insolubility of cellulose. A rapid and scalable production method of CMEs was demonstrated using a twin-screw extruder as a flow reactor. By using a co-solvent system and continuous extrusion, cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) was obtained within minutes with high conversion rates.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shiori Suzuki, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: Ionic liquids (ILs) are the only media capable of homogeneous organocatalytic reactions of lignocellulosic biomass. This review summarizes recent achievements in organocatalytic approaches for converting lignocellulose into polymer materials based on our established principles of IL design. The methods involve mild chemical modification of cellulose and lignin, with high conversions, selectivity, and atom economy. Similar reactions and fractionation processes are used for lignocellulose, and a highly productive reaction system is developed using a twin-screw extruder specific to IL media.
Article
Forestry
Nutthira Pakkang, Shiori Suzuki, Kengo Shigetomi, Yasumitsu Uraki
Summary: This study aimed to assemble a high-performance electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) using a hardwood kraft lignin (HKL)-based separator and HKL-based electrodes. Different approaches were used to fabricate the electrodes, resulting in EDLCs with high energy and power densities.
Article
Polymer Science
Akina Yoshizawa, Chie Maruyama, Samuel Budi Wardhana Kusuma, Naoki Wada, Kosuke Kuroda, Daisuke Hirose, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: In this study, aryloxy ILs were prepared as non-carboxylate-type and basic ILs to prevent the introduction of an acyl group from the IL onto the hydroxy group of cellulose during esterification. The optimized Emim2OPy IL and mixed solvent system achieved rapid cellulose esterification within 30 minutes with an excellent degree of substitution, without any undesired substituent introduction.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shiori Suzuki, Yosuke Hamano, Naoki Wada, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: Lignocellulosic agricultural waste is converted into valuable thermoplastics using an ionic liquid. The mechanical properties of the resulting plastic are enhanced, making it a sustainable source of biomass-based plastics.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Romain Milotskyi, Ryo Serizawa, Kaoru Yanagisawa, Gyanendra Sharma, Elisabeth Rada Desideria Ito, Tetsuo Fujie, Naoki Wada, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: In this study, the poor chemical compatibility between cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and bio-based polymeric matrices was improved by cross-linking the residual hydroxyl groups of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and the hydroxyl groups on the surface of CNF using a bio-derived polyisocyanurate. When a certain amount of cross-linking agent was added, the resulting composite material exhibited significantly improved tensile and flexural strength compared to neat CAB.
JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Satoshi Katsuhara, Naoki Sunagawa, Kiyohiko Igarashi, Yutaka Takeuchi, Kenji Takahashi, Takuya Yamamoto, Feng Li, Kenji Tajima, Takuya Isono, Toshifumi Satoh
Summary: This study synthesized cellulose acetate-based TPEs with different degrees of substitution (DS) and investigated the impact of DS on their structure and properties. The results showed that decreasing DS led to the formation of a more ordered microphase-separated structure, improved toughness, suppressed stress relaxation, and enhanced biodegradability potential. This work demonstrates the potential of cellulose acetate-based TPEs as next-generation sustainable materials.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Laszlo Szabo, Romain Milotskyi, Gyanendra Sharma, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: The introduction of ionic liquids about 20 years ago revolutionized the shaping of cellulose into functional materials. Compared to existing technologies, ionic liquids provide a more environmentally friendly and adjustable platform for cellulose processing, due to their non-volatile nature and high thermal and chemical stability. Over the past few decades, there have been significant developments in materials based on ionic liquid/cellulose processing systems, with various emerging applications in coatings, filtration membranes, enzyme immobilization, energy storage, etc.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Romain Milotskyi, Gyanendra Sharma, Tetsuo Fujie, Daisuke Hirose, Naoki Wada, Kenji Takahashi
Summary: More energy efficient and greener processes are needed in chemical engineering. Reactive extrusion is a new innovation targeting cleaner and more sustainable processes. This study examined the solubility of microcrystalline cellulose, developed a new method of measuring residence time distribution inside the extruder, performed transesterification of cellulose, and evaluated the effect of cellulose concentration on the properties of cellulose laurate films.
REACTION CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shiori Suzuki, Azusa Togo, Satoshi Kimura, Tadahisa Iwata
Summary: This study demonstrates a continuous process of acetylation and wet spinning of curdlan, resulting in the fabrication of curdlan acetate fibers with improved thermal stability and fiber properties. Partial acetylation of curdlan improves its stiffness and reduces water absorbency. These enhanced properties are attributed to changes in the crystalline structure caused by acetylation.