Biomass to Chemicals: Sustainable Chemistry

Presentation Type

Poster/Portfolio

Presenter Major(s)

Biology

Mentor Information

Dalila Kovacs

Department

Chemistry

Location

Henry Hall Atrium 22

Start Date

11-4-2012 9:00 AM

Keywords

Information, Innovation, and Technology, Changing Ideas/Changing Worlds, Sustainability

Abstract

Biomass provides fuel. However, biomass can be also converted to chemicals. The multitude of complex processes for conversion are similar in scope and scale with the operation of oil refineries. Depletion of petroleum supplies level the field for competition of bio- with oil-refineries. Biomass is plant material, vegetation, or agricultural waste used mainly as energy source; however biomass has a bigger potential as raw material for chemicals. Green chemistry principles promotes conversion of biomass to value-added chemicals, like 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), a platform molecules that opens multiple pathways to synthesis. Many processes are already known to convert biomass to useful chemicals, including hydrogenation, oxidation, and hydrolysis. Heterogeneous catalytic conversions of biomass into value-added products via hydrogenation is presented here as a viable alternatives to those from petroleum industry.

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Apr 11th, 9:00 AM

Biomass to Chemicals: Sustainable Chemistry

Henry Hall Atrium 22

Biomass provides fuel. However, biomass can be also converted to chemicals. The multitude of complex processes for conversion are similar in scope and scale with the operation of oil refineries. Depletion of petroleum supplies level the field for competition of bio- with oil-refineries. Biomass is plant material, vegetation, or agricultural waste used mainly as energy source; however biomass has a bigger potential as raw material for chemicals. Green chemistry principles promotes conversion of biomass to value-added chemicals, like 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), a platform molecules that opens multiple pathways to synthesis. Many processes are already known to convert biomass to useful chemicals, including hydrogenation, oxidation, and hydrolysis. Heterogeneous catalytic conversions of biomass into value-added products via hydrogenation is presented here as a viable alternatives to those from petroleum industry.