Solvent-based biomass pretreatment for cellulosic biofuel
This technology provides a more economical way to break down plant-based biomass — things like wood chips, agricultural residues, or energy crops — into its three core components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. By using a specific combination of solvents under mild conditions, the process separates these components efficiently and converts the cellulose and hemicellulose into highly concentrated sugar solutions at yields that exceed 100 grams per liter. The lignin is solubilized separately, and the solvents are designed to be recoverable and reusable, keeping operating costs down. The end products — sugars, and potentially alcohols like ethanol — are feedstocks for biofuels, biochemicals, and bioplastics.
What you could build
A licensed pretreatment system for cellulosic ethanol or biochemical plants that replaces energy-intensive pretreatment steps with a lower-cost solvent-based fractionation process; target buyers are biofuel producers, agricultural co-ops with biomass waste streams, and pulp-and-paper companies diversifying into biorefining.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia has active forestry, agricultural residue, and wood-products industries, plus bioenergy research at Virginia Tech, making this relevant to regional biorefinery developers or timber companies exploring value-added processing.
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
- December 2, 2014
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8900369
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.