Symbiosis of catalysis and biotechnology for sustainable utilization of hemicelluloses in biorefineries
The increasing necessity of the use of renewable resources requires the use of new methods. The utilization of hemicellulose is poorly understood, although it accounts up to 32% of lignocellulose, whereas the utilization of cellulose and lignin are the focus of science and industry. This results from the heterogeneous structure of the hemicellulose, which is composed of various pentoses (xylose, arabinose), hexoses (mannose, glucose, galactose), deoxyhexoses and hexuronacids. The molecular structure ranges from very long molecular chains to multiple block-like molecules.
In this project, together with the Chair of Chemical Engineering and Plant Design a basis for the development of an industrial process for the use of hemicellulose in biorefineries should be created. For that, a combination of chemical (use of novel precious metal catalysts) and biotechnical (use and production of enzymes) processes are used. The hemicellulose is hydrolyzed for an environmentally and economically production of sugar alcohols as a base platform for fine chemicals, food processing, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
Project funding:
Own research of the
Technische Universität Dresden
Co-operation partner:
TU Dresden
Faculty of Mechanical Science & Engineering
Chair of Chemical Engineering and Plant Design
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rüdiger Lange
http://www.cvt.tu-dresden.de
Project term:
01.07.2013 - 30.06.2015