Development of eco-friendly and low cost process for the production of bioethanol

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K00669
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Design and evaluation of sustainable and environmental conscious system
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI Chizuru 徳島大学, 大学院社会産業理工学研究部(生物資源産業学域), 准教授 (50452652)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ALCANTARA J.RAFAEL 京都大学, 工学研究科, 講師 (50709219)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: リグノセルロース / バイオマス / 加水分解 / 水熱処理 / バイオエタノール / 蒸留

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To produce bioethanol at low cost and low energy, direct hydrolysis of cellulose (cotton towel) to glucose was investigated using microwave-assisted treatment. We found the optimal direct hydrolysis condition using diluted sulfuric acid as catalyst. Next, novel direct hydrolysis method for cotton towel was investigated using microwave combined with impregnation in concentrated fulsufic acid before the micowave treatment. This combination method proposed had some advantages such as higher hydrolysis glucose recovery yield and low input energy. Moreover, extractive distillation of bioethanol with addiive was investigated, ethanol was concentrated at high purity (98mol%).

Free Research Field

バイオマス変換工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

リグノセルロース系バイオマスを原料としたバイオエタノール生産プロセスの実現に向けて、環境低負荷やコストダウンに繋がる研究の進展に寄与した。セルロースを酵素加水分解する方法の代替法として、水熱処理による直接糖化法を開発し、また、バイオエタノールの精製法として環境低負荷な物質を添加する方法を見出した。