Nanofibrillated Cellulose (NFC): A High-Value Co-Product that Improves the Economics of Cellulosic Ethanol Production

Qiong Song, William T. Winter, Biljana M. Bujanovic and Thomas E. Amidon
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Qiong Song: Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
William T. Winter: Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
Biljana M. Bujanovic: Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
Thomas E. Amidon: Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY 13210, USA

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: Cellulosic ethanol is a sustainable alternative to petroleum as a transportation fuel, which could be made biologically from agricultural and forestry residues, municipal waste, or herbaceous and woody crops. Instead of putting efforts on steps overcoming the natural resistance of plants to biological breakdown, our study proposes a unique pathway to improve the outcome of the process by co-producing high-value nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), offering a new economic leverage for cellulosic ethanol to compete with fossil fuels in the near future. In this study, glucose has been produced by commercial enzymes while the residual solids are converted into NFC via sonification. Here, we report the morphology of fibers changed through the process and yield of glucose in the enzymatic hydrolysis step.

Keywords: nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC); cellulose nanocrystals (CNC); cellulosic ethanol; economics; nanocellulose (NCC); cellulose; enzyme (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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