Production of dimethylfuran for liquid fuels from biomass-derived carbohydrates

Yuriy Román-Leshkov, Christopher J. Barrett, Zhen Y. Liu and James A. Dumesic ()
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Yuriy Román-Leshkov: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
Christopher J. Barrett: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
Zhen Y. Liu: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
James A. Dumesic: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA

Nature, 2007, vol. 447, issue 7147, 982-985

Abstract: Towards better biofuels With petrol prices on the rise, biofuels are big news these days. For applications in the transportation sector, perhaps the best known liquid biofuel is biomass-derived ethanol. But ethanol has its limitations: it is highly volatile, absorbs water and has a low energy density. A team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a two-step catalytic process that can convert fructose into a potentially better liquid biofuel, 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). This has 40%-higher energy density and a higher boiling point than ethanol, and is not water soluble. Fructose can be made directly from biomass or from glucose and although there's some work needed before DMF production can be made commercially viable, this new catalytic process looks promising.

Date: 2007
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DOI: 10.1038/nature05923

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