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Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications
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Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 20169

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Juma Haydary

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Interests: process engineering; chemical engineering; chemical reaction engineering modeling and simulation; reaction kinetics; process simulation; waste and biomass pyrolysis; waste and biomass gasification; kinetics of thermal decomposition; drying
Dr. Igor Surina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, Department of Wood, Pulp and Paper, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, SK-812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Interests: biomass; biofuels; biochemicals
Dr. Aleš Ház

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, Department of Wood, Pulp and Paper, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, SK-812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Interests: polymer and materials chemistry; thermal analysis; spectrometry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To secure a stable energy supply and reduce GHG emissions, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels, including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal heat, and biomass need to be developed. The oil crises of the 1970s spurred research into bioenergy from woody biomass. Biomass-derived fuels have been attracting increasing attention in recent years because of the abundance of renewable and sustainable resource supplies. Several kinds of biomasses, such as grasses, agricultural wastes, animal residues, and waste cooking oils, can be used as a substrate for the production of biofuels. Wood or plant resources (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) are a suitable raw material for the obtaining of different valuable compounds, which can be used as pharmaceuticals, bioactive chemicals, and in the treatment of wood for interior and exterior use and ultimately as a source of solid or liquid biofuel.

This Special Issue will cover all aspects related to the utilization of wood and forest biomass resources for bioenergy, processing of biomass, and further conversion of wood biomass to biofuels. Emphasis will be given to new advancements in biological processes, such as biochemical conversion, thermochemical conversion, and biorefineries for achieving high yields of biofuels.

Prof. Dr. Juma Haydary
Dr. Igor Surina
Dr. Aleš Ház
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • biomass
  • wood
  • chemicals with added value
  • biofuels
  • pyrolysis
  • waste
  • biochemical conversion
  • thermochemical conversion
  • biorefineries

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 4267 KiB  
Article
Environmental External Production Costs of Extracts Derived from Poplar-Containing Bioactive Substances
by Ewelina Olba-Zięty, Michał Krzyżaniak and Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski
Energies 2023, 16(22), 7544; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16227544 - 12 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1020
Abstract
The bioeconomy needs new, economically feasible products obtained from biological raw materials via sustainable processes having the smallest possible impact on the environment. The objectives of our study have been: (i) to make an evaluation of the external costs of the production of [...] Read more.
The bioeconomy needs new, economically feasible products obtained from biological raw materials via sustainable processes having the smallest possible impact on the environment. The objectives of our study have been: (i) to make an evaluation of the external costs of the production of a poplar extract containing bioactive substances by supercritical extraction; (ii) to make a comparison of the internal and external costs of extract production; (iii) to determine the total life cycle costs (LCCs) of the extract and the break-even prices (BEPs) in two business models. In the first business model (BM I), the only commercial product was the extract, while pellets were used for their own energy purposes. In the second business model (BM II), both the extract and pellets were marketable products. Out of the two analyzed business models, lower external costs and, consequently, lower total costs were achieved in BM I (LCC €259 kg−1) than in BM II (LCC €267 kg−1). However, the profitability analysis showed that BM II was more profitable (BEP €313 kg−1) than BM I (BEP €359 kg−1). The inclusion of the external costs of poplar extract production by supercritical extraction has a significant impact on increasing the production profitability threshold. An analysis of a situation where electricity was replaced with the EU mix (the European Union mix) generated with a higher share of RES (renewable energy sources) showed that the externalities were lowered. A substantial decrease in the external costs at the supercritical extraction stage was reflected in the lower values of the total cost of extract production, LCC, and BEP, hence, attesting to less damage to the natural environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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19 pages, 3901 KiB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of Poplar Biomass for High Value Products and Energy
by Michał Krzyżaniak, Mariusz J. Stolarski, Kazimierz Warmiński, Edward Rój, Katarzyna Tyśkiewicz and Ewelina Olba-Zięty
Energies 2023, 16(21), 7287; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16217287 - 27 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1308
Abstract
The European Union has embarked on a European Green Deal programme that advocates for a transition from fossil fuels to sustainable production. Attempts are being made to identify biomass sources and bioproducts (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or biofuels) that do not compete significantly with food [...] Read more.
The European Union has embarked on a European Green Deal programme that advocates for a transition from fossil fuels to sustainable production. Attempts are being made to identify biomass sources and bioproducts (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or biofuels) that do not compete significantly with food production and have a low environmental impact. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the environmental impact of the supercritical CO2 extraction of poplar biomass in a life cycle assessment (LCA). The production system was examined in a cradle-to-gate approach. In the analysed system, poplar biomass was extracted, and residual biomass was converted to pellets which were used to generate process heat. The functional unit was 1 kg of packaged extract. The results showed that the step of biomass extraction using S-CO2 (in subsystem II) made the greatest contribution to all but two impact categories, with contribution from 25.3% to 93.8% for land use and global warming categories, respectively. In contrast, the whole subsystem I (biomass production and logistics) had a low environmental impact. Heat generation from residual biomass led to a minor decrease in the system’s environmental impact. Greenhouse gases emission reached 440 kg of CO2 equivalents per 1 kg of the extract, and they were associated with high electricity consumption and steam production. Despite the application of residual biomass for heat generation, the overall environmental impacts, especially in terms of human health and ecosystem damage, remain significant, indicating the need for further optimisation and mitigation strategies in the production process. Moreover, the share of renewables in the energy mix supplied to biorefineries should mitigate the environmental impact of the extraction process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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18 pages, 2305 KiB  
Article
Biodiesel Synthesis from Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) Seed Oil using ZnO Nanoparticles as a Catalyst
by Hammad Ahmad Jan, Igor Šurina, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh, Abdulaziz M. Almutlaq, Sher Wali and Anton Lisý
Energies 2022, 15(20), 7818; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207818 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1994
Abstract
Biodiesel is considered valuable to reduce dependency on petrofuels. This work aimed to synthesize biodiesel from Silybum marianum using synthesized ZnO nanoparticles as a catalyst. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were examined by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction for confirmation. The synthesized biodiesel [...] Read more.
Biodiesel is considered valuable to reduce dependency on petrofuels. This work aimed to synthesize biodiesel from Silybum marianum using synthesized ZnO nanoparticles as a catalyst. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were examined by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction for confirmation. The synthesized biodiesel was confirmed by ASTM D-6751, H and C-NMR, GC-MS, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The optimum biodiesel yield of 91% was obtained with an oil-to-methanol ratio of 1:24, 15 mg of catalyst concentration, 60 °C temperature, and 45 min of reaction time. Fuel properties were determined according to the ASTM-defined methods and found within the defined limits of ASTM D-6751. 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR showed characteristic peaks at 3.667 ppm, 2.000–2.060 ppm, 0.858–0.918 ppm, 5.288–5.407 ppm, 24.93–34.22 ppm, 172.71, 173.12, 130.16 ppm, and 128.14 ppm, respectively, which confirm biodiesel synthesis. The FAMEs composition of biodiesel was determined by GC-MS, which recognized 19 peaks for different types of FAMEs. FT-IR spectroscopy showed two main peaks, first in the range of 1725–1750 cm−1 and second in the range of 1000–1300 cm−1, which confirmed that the transesterification process had completed successfully. The physicochemical characteristics of Silybum marianum confirm that it is a suitable source to produce biodiesel on an industrial scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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15 pages, 2310 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Biodiesel from Ricinus communis L. Seed Oil, a Promising Non-Edible Feedstock Using Calcium Oxide Nanoparticles as a Catalyst
by Hammad Ahmad Jan, Igor Šurina, Akhtar Zaman, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh, Fazli Rahim and Raja L. Al-Otaibi
Energies 2022, 15(17), 6425; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176425 - 2 Sep 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2006
Abstract
This work aimed to synthesize biodiesel from Ricinus communis L., using calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles as a catalyst. The CaO nanoparticles were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The physico-chemical properties of biodiesel were studied through H and C-NMR, [...] Read more.
This work aimed to synthesize biodiesel from Ricinus communis L., using calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles as a catalyst. The CaO nanoparticles were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The physico-chemical properties of biodiesel were studied through H and C-NMR, GC-MS, FT-IR, and fuel properties were studied according to ASTM and EN standard methods. The oil content of the feedstock was 53.7% with a free fatty acid (FFA) content of 0.89 mg KOH/g. The suitable condition for the optimum yield (89%) of biodiesel was 1:15 of oil to methanol using 20 mg of catalyst at a temperature of 60 °C for 80 to 100 min of reaction time. The H and C-NMR confirm the biodiesel synthesis by showing important peaks at 3.661, 2.015–2.788, 24.83–34.16 and 174.26 and 130.15 ppm. Similarly, GC-MS spectroscopy confirmed 18 different types of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in the biodiesel sample. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the synthesis of biodiesel by showing characteristic peaks of biodiesel formation in the range of 1725–1750 cm−1 and 1000–1300 cm−1. The fuel properties were compared with the international ASTM and EN standards. The physico-chemical properties confirm that RCB is both an engine and environmentally friendly fuel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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Review

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23 pages, 641 KiB  
Review
Summarizing the Effect of Acidity and Water Content of Deep Eutectic Solvent-like Mixtures—A Review
by Veronika Jančíková, Michal Jablonský, Katarína Voleková and Igor Šurina
Energies 2022, 15(24), 9333; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249333 - 9 Dec 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2369
Abstract
Deep eutectic solvent-like (DES-like) mixtures re-emerged in green chemistry nineteen years ago and yet have led to a large number of publications covering different research areas and different application industries. DES-like mixtures are considered a special class of green solvents because of their [...] Read more.
Deep eutectic solvent-like (DES-like) mixtures re-emerged in green chemistry nineteen years ago and yet have led to a large number of publications covering different research areas and different application industries. DES-like mixtures are considered a special class of green solvents because of their unique properties, such as high solubilization ability, remarkable biocompatibility, low production cost, low volatility, relatively simple synthesis methods, and considerable stability. Several studies have been published that analyze the effect of acidity/alkalinity and water content in DES-like mixtures on their physicochemical properties and behavior. This work summarizes the characterization of green solvents and, subsequently, the influence of various factors on the resulting pH values of green solvent systems. Part of this work describes the influence of water content in DES-like mixtures on their physical and chemical properties. The acidity/alkalinity effect is very important for green solvent applications, and it has the main impact on chemical reactions. As the temperature increases, the pH of DES-like mixtures decreases linearly. The type of hydrogen bond donors has been shown to have an important effect on the acidity of DES-like mixtures. The water content also affects their properties (polarity, solubilization capacity of DES-like mixtures). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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16 pages, 1624 KiB  
Review
Lignin Modifications, Applications, and Possible Market Prices
by Richard Nadányi, Aleš Ház, Anton Lisý, Michal Jablonský, Igor Šurina, Veronika Majová and Andrej Baco
Energies 2022, 15(18), 6520; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15186520 - 7 Sep 2022
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3937
Abstract
Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer in the world. Due to its complex structure, lignin can be considered a valuable source of energy and different chemicals. In addition, using different reactive sites on lignin, it is possible to prepare different value-added products, [...] Read more.
Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer in the world. Due to its complex structure, lignin can be considered a valuable source of energy and different chemicals. In addition, using different reactive sites on lignin, it is possible to prepare different value-added products, such as resins, polyurethanes, and many more. Different functional groups are presented on the lignin macromolecule and can be modified via different pathways. Hydroxyl groups are the most promising reactive sites for lignin modifications. Both modified and unmodified lignins could be used for preparing different biomaterials. This paper shows several possible applications of lignin. The main goal of this publication is to show the possible valorization of lignin in different value-added products throughout the actual market prices of non-biobased materials. This review proves that lignin has unquestionable advantages in material technology and can replace different substances which will lead to a higher potential market value of lignins and could create new bio-based materials compared with the actual prices of commercially available materials. Nowadays, it is easier to use lignin as an energy source even though a lot of lignin modifications and conversion processes are still under development and need more time to become more relevant for industrial applications. Information in the presented paper should reveal to the reader the importance and economic benefits of using lignin as a value-added compound in different applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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27 pages, 1624 KiB  
Review
About Hydrophobicity of Lignin: A Review of Selected Chemical Methods for Lignin Valorisation in Biopolymer Production
by Anton Lisý, Aleš Ház, Richard Nadányi, Michal Jablonský and Igor Šurina
Energies 2022, 15(17), 6213; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176213 - 26 Aug 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6670
Abstract
Lignin is the second most abundant renewable natural polymer that occurs on Earth, and as such, it should be widely utilised by industries in a variety of applications. However, these applications and possible research seem to be limited or prevented by a variety [...] Read more.
Lignin is the second most abundant renewable natural polymer that occurs on Earth, and as such, it should be widely utilised by industries in a variety of applications. However, these applications and possible research seem to be limited or prevented by a variety of factors, mainly the high heterogeneity of lignin. Selective modifications of the structure and of functional groups allow better properties in material applications, whereas the separation of different qualitative lignin groups permits selective application in industry. This review is aimed at modification of the lignin structure, increasing the hydrophobicity of the produced materials, and focusing on several perspective modifications for industrial-scale production of lignin-based polymers, as well as challenges, opportunities, and other important factors to take into consideration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biomass for Chemicals and Biofuels Applications)
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