How Biomass from Trees Can Change the World
More than 30 percent of the world’s land area is made up of forests, and there are estimated to be 3 trillion-plus trees on Earth. In their natural state, trees and other woody plants are vital for all aspects of life on earth. However, biomass from trees can also be used in a number of ways that you may not have expected, especially to support green and sustainable chemistry.
Batteries
The demand for battery materials is growing every day, and one solution for this is a renewable source of carbon to produce graphite—a vital component of many lithium-ion batteries. Woody biomass is primarily made up of lignin and cellulose—the two most abundant polymers on earth—which are primarily composed of carbon, with some hydrogen and oxygen. These complex organic polymers can be broken down or rearranged into many other useful molecules, including graphite and graphene, in lieu of unsustainable fossil fuels.
Chemicals
With the right combination of treatment and catalysts, lignin and cellulose can be used to synthesize many commercially valuable chemicals, which previously have been derived from fossil fuels.A new study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society found that solid acid catalysts, such as zeolites and inorganic salts, can effectively synthesize acrylic acid from lactic acid, with a conversion rate as high as 92%. Lactic acid is a common by-product from the breaking down of lignocellulosic biomass from trees and other woody plants.
Acrylic acid and other acrylates are key industrial chemicals, commonly used in adhesives, paints and polishes, superabsorbent materials, and as a feedstock for other key polymers and plastics. Not only is this new catalytic route more sustainable than fossil fuel-derived acrylic acid, it is also potentially more cost-effective—which is one of the biggest drawbacks of developing new sustainable processes.
Biofuels
Woody biomass is considered a second-generation biofuel, as it often comes from the waste of existing processes such as paper manufacturing or timber processing. The third generation of biofuels comes from oil-producing algae, which require dedicated facilities to produce fuel feedstocks.
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