Recyclable-solvent biomass fractionation for cellulosic
This technology breaks down woody plant material (lignocellulosic biomass such as agricultural waste, wood chips, or energy crops) into its four main components — cellulose, hemicellulose sugars, lignin, and acetic acid — using a sequence of solvents under mild conditions. The cellulose produced is in a highly disordered form that converts easily into glucose for fermentation, while the other outputs (sugars, lignin, acetic acid) are also recoverable as saleable products. Critically, the solvents are recycled within the process, keeping operating costs down and making the economics more attractive than competing biomass pretreatment methods. The process was designed specifically to avoid the harsh temperatures, pressures, or chemicals that make most biomass fractionation approaches expensive or impractical at industrial scale.
What you could build
A licensed pretreatment module integrated into cellulosic ethanol or bio-refinery facilities that converts agricultural residues or wood waste into fermentable glucose and co-products; buyers would be biofuel producers, pulp-and-paper companies pivoting to biorefineries, and chemical companies building bio-based supply chains.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia has significant forestry and agricultural residue resources, and companies or cooperatives in the wood products or agricultural processing sector — as well as Virginia-based bioenergy developers — would be plausible licensees or partners.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Y. H. Percival Zhang
- Granted
- July 22, 2014
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8784566
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.