Ionic Liquid Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for utilizing lignocellulosic biomass are limited, particularly in effectively separating and utilizing cellulose and lignin, with lignin being underutilized and existing solvents being environmentally unfriendly.

Innovation Solution

The process involves using ionic liquids to dissolve cellulose and hemicellulose from lignocellulosic materials, allowing for the separation of cellulose-enriched and lignin-enriched fractions through centrifugation, enabling the production of pure cellulose and lignin for further processing into valuable products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional solvents are used to process lignocellulosic biomass, then the processing can be performed, but the solvents are environmentally unfriendly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental friendlinessVSAvoidsolvent effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the solvent system by using ionic liquids with specific properties (low volatility, tunable solubility) to replace conventional organic solvents. This allows effective dissolution of lignocellulosic materials while eliminating the environmental harm associated with volatile organic compounds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite ionic liquid systems combining different cations and anions to achieve both environmental friendliness and processing effectiveness. The composite nature of ionic liquids allows tuning of solubility parameters while maintaining low environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If lignocellulosic biomass is processed to recover cellulose and lignin, then valuable products can be produced, but the separation and utilization of these components is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct valueVSAvoidseparation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent selectively extracts lignin from the lignocellulosic biomass matrix using ionic liquids, separating it from cellulose and hemicellulose. This extraction approach enables independent recovery and utilization of each component for different valuable products.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Ionic liquids serve as an intermediary medium that facilitates the separation of lignin from cellulose-rich fractions. The ionic liquid temporarily complexes with lignin, enabling its isolation, and can then be recovered and reused, making the separation process economically viable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If ionic liquids are used to dissolve lignocellulosic biomass, then cellulose and hemicellulose can be dissolved along with a portion of lignin, but the mixture requires separation into enriched fractions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedissolution efficiencyVSAvoidseparation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes phase transition of the ionic liquid system upon contact with water or other anti-solvents. The dissolved components precipitate in different sequences based on their solubility characteristics, enabling gravitational or centrifugal separation into enriched fractions without complex equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method efficiently separates cellulose and lignin, achieving fractions with enhanced glucose content in cellulose and increased lignin content, facilitating the production of valuable cellulose-containing and lignin-containing products while using environmentally friendly solvents.

Implementation Method 1

cellulose and hemicellulose of the lignocellulosic material dissolve into the ionic liquid along with a portion of the lignin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

The mixture is separated into a cellulose-enriched fraction... The cellulose-enriched fraction is separated from the mixture by centrifuging

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Data Source

PatentUS8435355B2Fractionation of lignocellulosic material using ionic liquids

Publication Date: 2013.05.07 GCF US HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

Lignocellulosic biomass materials are fractionated by dissolving at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material in an ionic liquid and separating the resulting mixture into a cellulose-enriched fraction and/or a lignin-enriched fraction. The cellulose-enriched fraction contains about 10 percentage points more glucose than the weight percent glucose contained in the original lignocellulosic biomass material. In certain embodiments, the lignin-enriched fraction includes a lignin content that is 5 percentage points greater than the weight percent lignin present in the original lignocellulosic material. The techniques used to isolate the cellulose-enriched fractions and/or the lignin-enriched fractions from the ionic liquid mixture do not employ environmentally unfriendly solvents.