Jul
3
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) researchers leading an international collaboration have developed a two-step method to more efficiently break down carbohydrates into their single sugar components, a critical process in producing green fuel. The research group published their results in the American Chemical Society journal Industrial & Engineering Chemical Research. The breakdown process […]
Oct
26
Low Cost Idea For Walking To Make Electricity
October 26, 2016 | Leave a Comment
A University of Wisconsin-Madison professor’s team has a working idea for an inexpensive, simple method that allows them to convert footsteps into usable electricity. The flooring, which uses wood pulp and harnesses nanofibers, can be made from any number of sustainable materials, making it, generally, an eco-friendly feature in homes and businesses alike. Xudong Wang, […]
Jan
15
New Catalyst Cracks Out Cellulose & Xylan 14 Times Faster
January 15, 2015 | 3 Comments
Scientists at the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed an enzyme that could change the economics of biofuel conversion by converting biomass to sugars up to 14 times faster and much cheaper than competing catalysts in today’s enzyme cocktails. This enzyme is called CelA, a cellulase from the bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii. C. […]
Dec
18
A New Process to Make Use of Lignin
December 18, 2014 | 1 Comment
A new catalytic process from Purdue is able to convert the biomass waste lignin into lucrative chemical products that can be used to create high-octane fuel for racecars and jets or even in fragrances or flavorings. The Purdue team of researchers has developed a process that uses a chemical catalyst and heat to spur reactions […]
Nov
26
Two Steps From Wood to Gasoline
November 26, 2014 | 2 Comments
Researchers at the Netherland’s KU Leuven’s Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis have successfully converted sawdust into building blocks for gasoline. With the invention of a new chemical process, they were able to convert the cellulose of wood sawdust into hydrocarbon chains. These hydrocarbons can be used as an additive in gasoline, or as a […]