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Nanobiotechnology for Biofuel Production: Renewable and Sustainable Sources

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A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2017)

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Munish Puri

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Guest Editor

Senior Research Fellow Bioprocessing Laboratory, Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, VIC 3217, Australia
Interests: nanomaterials; enzyme immobilization; biomass pretreatment; lignocellulose; lipids; algal harvesting
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Takuya Tsuzuki

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College of Engineering and Computer Science, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
Interests: nanomaterials; catalysts & photocatalysts; mechanochemistry; sustainable development; technology commercialisation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterials will likely become an integral part of sustainable bioenergy production as it helps in designing biocatalysts with excellent activity, greater selectivity, and high stability. The properties of enzymes can easily be tuned by tailoring the size, shape, and morphology of the particular nanomaterial. The resulting interaction of enzymes with nanomaterials has made possible the development of a new nanobiocatlytic system(s) that has a variety of applications. This Special Issue is devoted to recent research in the use of nanomaterials for immobilizing enzymes, evolved immobilized enzymes chemistries, and evaluation of the efficiency of nano-conjugated enzymes in the processing of synthetic substrates/biomass for producing biofuels.

The Special Issue will cover:

Use of various nanomaterials (supports) for immobilizing enzymes such as cellulases, xylanases, glucosidases, lipases, lignases, etc.
Recent developments in biomass processing (agriculture waste, grasses, food waste processing) employing novel nanomaterial supports for enzyme-immobilization for biofuel production at bench scale/pilot-scale.
Commercial applications of nanostructured materials in bioenergy development, as well as biofuel harvesting, and associated chemistries are of interest to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Munish Puri, FRSC
Prof. Dr. Takuya Tsuzuki
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

Biofuels
Biodiesel
Pretreatment
Immobilization
Functionalisation
Nanomaterials
Nanotechnology

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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4168 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enzymatically-Mediated Co-Production of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Fermentable Sugars

by Dawit Beyene, Michael Chae, Jing Dai, Christophe Danumah, Frank Tosto, Abayneh Getachew Demesa and David C. Bressler

Catalysts 2017, 7(11), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal7110322 - 30 Oct 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6163

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) can be extracted from cellulosic materials through the degradation of non-crystalline cellulose domains in the feedstock via acid hydrolysis. However, the sugars released from the hydrolysis process cannot be easily recovered from the acid waste stream. In this study, cellulases were used to preferentially degrade non-crystalline domains with the objectives of recovering sugars and generating a feedstock with concentrated CNC precursors for a more efficient acid hydrolysis process. Filter paper and wood pulp substrates were enzyme-treated for 2–10 h to recover 20–40 wt % glucose. Substantial xylose yield (6–12 wt %) was generated from wood pulp. CNC yields from acid hydrolysis of cellulases-treated filter paper, and wood pulp improved by 8–18% and 58–86%, respectively, when compared with the original substrate. It was thought that CNC precursors accumulated in the cellulases-treated feedstock due to enzymatic digestion of the more accessible non-crystalline celluloses. Therefore, acid hydrolysis from enzyme-treated feedstock will require proportionally less water and reagents resulting in increased efficiency and productivity in downstream processes. This study demonstrates that an enzymatically-mediated process allows recovery of fermentable sugars and improves acid hydrolysis efficiency for CNC production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiotechnology for Biofuel Production: Renewable and Sustainable Sources)

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4648 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Well-Shaped Sulfonic Organosilica Nanotubes with High Activity for Hydrolysis of Cellobiose

by Jing Sun, Xiao Liu, Xinli Zhu, Hua Wang, Sadegh Rostamnia and Jinyu Han

Catalysts 2017, 7(5), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal7050127 - 27 Apr 2017

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4141

Abstract

Sulfonic organosilica nanotubes with different acidity densities could be synthesized through the co-condensation of ethenyl- or phenylene-bridged organosilane and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane followed by sulfhydryl (–SH) oxidation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis and nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiment clearly exhibit the hollow nanotube structures with the diameters of about 5 nm. The compositions of the nanotube frameworks are confirmed by solid state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that about 60–80% of SH groups were oxidized to sulfonic acid (SO₃H). The acid contents were measured by both elemental analysis (CHNS mode) and acid-base titration experiment, which revealed that the acid density was in the range of 0.74 to 4.37 μmol·m⁻² on the solid. These nanotube-based acid catalysts exhibited excellent performances in the hydrolysis of cellobiose with the highest conversion of 92% and glucose selectivity of 96%. In addition, the catalysts could maintain high activity (65% conversion with 92% selectivity) even after six recycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiotechnology for Biofuel Production: Renewable and Sustainable Sources)

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Review

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13 pages, 1128 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nano-Immobilized Biocatalysts for Biodiesel Production from Renewable and Sustainable Resources

by Keon Hee Kim, Ok Kyung Lee and Eun Yeol Lee

Catalysts 2018, 8(2), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal8020068 - 08 Feb 2018

Cited by 80 | Viewed by 9175

Abstract

The cost of biodiesel production relies on feedstock cost. Edible oil is unfavorable as a biodiesel feedstock because of its expensive price. Thus, non-edible crop oil, waste oil, and microalgae oil have been considered as alternative resources. Non-edible crop oil and waste cooking oil are more suitable for enzymatic transesterification because they include a large amount of free fatty acids. Recently, enzymes have been integrated with nanomaterials as immobilization carriers. Nanomaterials can increase biocatalytic efficiency. The development of a nano-immobilized enzyme is one of the key factors for cost-effective biodiesel production. This paper presents the technology development of nanomaterials, including nanoparticles (magnetic and non-magnetic), carbon nanotubes, and nanofibers, and their application to the nano-immobilization of biocatalysts. The current status of biodiesel production using a variety of nano-immobilized lipase is also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiotechnology for Biofuel Production: Renewable and Sustainable Sources)

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