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| Open AccessCatalytic carbon–carbon bond cleavage in lignin via manganese–zirconium-mediated autoxidation
Efforts to produce aromatic monomers through catalytic lignin depolymerization were focused on aryl–ether bond cleavage, while the carbon–carbon bonds of a large fraction of aromatic monomers in lignin are difficult to cleave. Here, the authors report a catalytic autoxidation method using manganese and zirconium salts as catalysts to cleave the C–C bonds in lignin-derived dimers and oligomers from pine and poplar.
- Chad T. Palumbo
- , Nina X. Gu
- & Gregg T. Beckham
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Article
| Open AccessHigh production of furfural by flash pyrolysis of C6 sugars and lignocellulose by Pd-PdO/ZnSO4 catalyst
Furfural is an important platform chemical for the synthesis of next-generation bio-fuels. Here the authors report a novel heterogeneous catalyst, Pd-PdO/ZnSO4, for the mass production of furfural from catalytic flash pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomasses.
- Qiaoqiao Zhou
- , Jinxing Gu
- & Lian Zhang
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| Open AccessRenewable formate from sunlight, biomass and carbon dioxide in a photoelectrochemical cell
The sustainable production of chemicals and fuels from waste carbon sources holds significant promise for reducing our dependence on fossil resources. Here, the authors demonstrate renewable formate production from biomass wastes and CO2 powered by solar energy.
- Yuyang Pan
- , Huiyan Zhang
- & Sheng Chu
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| Open AccessMetaproteomics reveals enzymatic strategies deployed by anaerobic microbiomes to maintain lignocellulose deconstruction at high solids
Efficient solubilization of plant cell wall carbohydrates is required for microbial production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Here, the authors employ metaproteomics to interrogate enzymatic strategies of a methanogenic microbiome deconstructing switchgrass at increasing solids loading.
- Payal Chirania
- , Evert K. Holwerda
- & Lee R. Lynd
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| Open AccessA unique Co@CoO catalyst for hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-dimethylfuran
The development of precious-metal-free catalysts to promote the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals from biomass challenging. Here the authors report a unique core-shell structured Co@CoO catalyst which exhibits excellent performance in the hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived compounds.
- Shuang Xiang
- , Lin Dong
- & Yanqin Wang
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| Open AccessDecoupled temperature and pressure hydrothermal synthesis of carbon sub-micron spheres from cellulose
Temperature and pressure are typically dependent parameters in hydrothermal processes. Here, authors devise a hydrothermal system that allows independent control of these parameters and realize low-temperature fast synthesis of carbon sub-micron spheres directly from cellulose at higher pressure.
- Shijie Yu
- , Xinyue Dong
- & Hui Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessTransition-metal-free synthesis of pyrimidines from lignin β-O-4 segments via a one-pot multi-component reaction
Lignin depolymerization to make heterocyclic aromatic compounds is of great importance to expanding the product portfolio derived from biomass, but it is also particularly challenging. In this work, the authors report pyrimidine synthesis from lignin β-O-4 model compounds via a one-pot multicomponent cascade reaction.
- Bo Zhang
- , Tenglong Guo
- & Changzhi Li
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Article
| Open AccessAutomated exploitation of the big configuration space of large adsorbates on transition metals reveals chemistry feasibility
The discovery of heterogeneous catalysts for large molecule conversion has been lagging due to the combinatorial inventory of intermediates. Here, the author presents an automated framework to explore the chemical space of reaction intermediates.
- Geun Ho Gu
- , Miriam Lee
- & Dionisios G. Vlachos
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Article
| Open AccessDihydroxyacetone valorization with high atom efficiency via controlling radical oxidation pathways over natural mineral-inspired catalyst
Radicals-mediated Fenton chemistry has the potential for biomass valorization. Here, inspired from the natural goethite mineral, the authors develop a MnO2/goethite catalyst showing excellent yields of glycolic acid and formic acid from dihydroxyacetone, an important biomass-based platform molecule.
- Jinling Wang
- , Xingchao Dai
- & Xuejing Yang
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Article
| Open AccessReprogramming bacterial protein organelles as a nanoreactor for hydrogen production
The extreme oxygen sensitive character of hydrogenases is a longstanding issue for hydrogen production in bacteria. Here, the authors build carboxysome shells in E. coli and incorporate catalytically active hydrogenases and functional partners within the empty shell for the production of hydrogen.
- Tianpei Li
- , Qiuyao Jiang
- & Lu-Ning Liu
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Article
| Open AccessPlatinum–copper single atom alloy catalysts with high performance towards glycerol hydrogenolysis
Selective hydrogenolysis of biomass glycerol to propanediol is a promising route for the production of high-value chemicals but remains a challenge. Here, the authors find a PtCu single atom alloy catalyst exhibits remarkably boosted performance with a turnover frequency value of 2.6 × 103 molglycerol·molPtCu–SAA−1·h−1.
- Xi Zhang
- , Guoqing Cui
- & Min Wei
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| Open AccessDifferences in S/G ratio in natural poplar variants do not predict catalytic depolymerization monomer yields
The ratio of syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) units in lignin has been regarded as a major factor in determining the maximum monomer yield. Here, the authors challenge this common conception using reductive catalytic fractionation in flow-through reactors as an analytical tool to depolymerize lignin in poplar with naturally varying S/G ratios.
- Eric M. Anderson
- , Michael L. Stone
- & Yuriy Román-Leshkov
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Article
| Open AccessEngineered microbial biofuel production and recovery under supercritical carbon dioxide
End-product toxicity, culture contamination, and energy efficient product recovery are long-standing issues in bioprocessing. Here, the authors address these problems using a fermentation strategy that combines microbial production of branched alcohols with supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.
- Jason T. Boock
- , Adam J. E. Freedman
- & Janelle R. Thompson
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| Open AccessLive cyanobacteria produce photocurrent and hydrogen using both the respiratory and photosynthetic systems
Biologically ### produced electrical currents and hydrogen are new energy sources. Here, the authors find that low presser microfluidizer treatment produced cyanobacterium that can utilize electrons from respiratory and photosynthesis to promote current and hydrogen generation, without the addition of exogenous electron mediators.
- Gadiel Saper
- , Dan Kallmann
- & Noam Adir
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| Open AccessLow carbon renewable natural gas production from coalbeds and implications for carbon capture and storage
Coalbeds produce natural gas, which has been observed to be enhanced by in situ microbes. Here, the authors add plant-derived carbohydrates (monosaccharides) to coal seams to be converted by indigenous microbes into natural gas, thus demonstrating a potential low carbon renewable natural gas resource.
- Zaixing Huang
- , Christine Sednek
- & Shengpin Li