{"title":"Subcritical water conversion of biomass to biofuels, chemicals and materials: a review","authors":"Kapil Khandelwal, Somaye Seraj, Sonil Nanda, Ramin Azargohar, Ajay K. Dalai","doi":"10.1007/s10311-024-01750-2","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The use of fossil fuels has been essential to the development of society, but has also contributed partly to global warming. For example, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industries have increased by 60% since 1990, calling for the recycling of modern biomass in the context of a carbon neutral economy. Here we review the hydrothermal conversion of biomass into biofuels, chemicals and biomaterials with emphasis on subcritical water properties, hydrolysis of biomass, steam explosion, fractionation, carbonization, liquefaction, gasification, and fractionation of bio-oil. We observe that hydrothermal conversion of biomass in the presence of water at subcritical conditions produces value-added compounds with high process efficiency. Subcritical water allows rapid reaction rates, low mass transfer resistance, and gas-like diffusivity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":541,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry Letters","volume":"22 5","pages":"2191 - 2211"},"PeriodicalIF":15.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Chemistry Letters","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-024-01750-2","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The use of fossil fuels has been essential to the development of society, but has also contributed partly to global warming. For example, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industries have increased by 60% since 1990, calling for the recycling of modern biomass in the context of a carbon neutral economy. Here we review the hydrothermal conversion of biomass into biofuels, chemicals and biomaterials with emphasis on subcritical water properties, hydrolysis of biomass, steam explosion, fractionation, carbonization, liquefaction, gasification, and fractionation of bio-oil. We observe that hydrothermal conversion of biomass in the presence of water at subcritical conditions produces value-added compounds with high process efficiency. Subcritical water allows rapid reaction rates, low mass transfer resistance, and gas-like diffusivity.
期刊介绍:
Environmental Chemistry Letters explores the intersections of geology, chemistry, physics, and biology. Published articles are of paramount importance to the examination of both natural and engineered environments. The journal features original and review articles of exceptional significance, encompassing topics such as the characterization of natural and impacted environments, the behavior, prevention, treatment, and control of mineral, organic, and radioactive pollutants. It also delves into interfacial studies involving diverse media like soil, sediment, water, air, organisms, and food. Additionally, the journal covers green chemistry, environmentally friendly synthetic pathways, alternative fuels, ecotoxicology, risk assessment, environmental processes and modeling, environmental technologies, remediation and control, and environmental analytical chemistry using biomolecular tools and tracers.