Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Engineering Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Lignin Valorization In Ionic Liquids And Deep Eutectic Solvent Via Catalysis And Biocatalysis, Jian Shi, Lalitendu Das, Enshi Liu, Joseph C. Stevens Jul 2020

Lignin Valorization In Ionic Liquids And Deep Eutectic Solvent Via Catalysis And Biocatalysis, Jian Shi, Lalitendu Das, Enshi Liu, Joseph C. Stevens

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

This invention relates to a method for extracting valorized compounds from lignin by contacting lignins with an ionic liquid and/or a deep eutectic solvent and adding a catalyst and/or a biocatalyst to assist in breaking down the source material. Converting lignin into high value chemicals adds revenues for a bio-refinery and helps to improve the economic viability of biofuel production.


Characterization And Enzyme Engineering Of A Hyperthermophilic Laccase Toward Improving Its Activity In Ionic Liquid, Joseph Craig Stevens, David W. Rodgers, Claire Dumon, Jian Shi Jul 2020

Characterization And Enzyme Engineering Of A Hyperthermophilic Laccase Toward Improving Its Activity In Ionic Liquid, Joseph Craig Stevens, David W. Rodgers, Claire Dumon, Jian Shi

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Ionic liquids (ILs) are organic salts molten at room temperature that can be used for a wide variety of applications. Many ILs, such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2C1Im][OAc]), have been shown to remove a significant fraction of the complex biopolymer lignin from biomass during pretreatment. Valorizing lignin via biological pathways (e.g., enzymes) holds promise but is limited by the low biocompatibility of many ILs used for pretreatment. The discovery of thermostable enzymes and the application of enzyme engineering techniques have yielded biocatalysts capable of withstanding high concentrations of ILs. Converting lignin from a waste product to value-added …


Characterizing And Predicting The Antimicrobial Properties Of Lignin Derivatives, Ryan Kalinoski Jan 2020

Characterizing And Predicting The Antimicrobial Properties Of Lignin Derivatives, Ryan Kalinoski

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Due to the overuse of antibiotics in our society, there has been a steady rise in highly antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the last decade. This has created a renewed interest in natural phenolic compounds for antimicrobial discovery amongst the scientific community. To this end, lignin is the most abundant naturally occurring phenolic polymer on earth and has already been known to have antimicrobial properties due to its polyphenolic structure. In addition, lignin is considered a major waste product for lignocellulosic biorefineries, and its valorization into value-added products will generate extra profit for a biorefinery, making biofuels less expensive, increasing their marketability …