Multi-walled carbon nanotubes and nature's own solution may help drive down bio-production costs.
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Enzymes into hydrocarbons? Image: Manchester University |
Firstly, a new discovery by scientists at Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research could help reduce the cost of bio-lube refining, while also improving the stability of the lubes over the longer term.
The addition of catalysts to the hydroprocessing stage of bio-refining has already been proven.
However, to date, hydrogen added when metal catalysts are present has required sulphur to make the process effective which, in itself, can contaminate the final product.
Now, the scientists have created a method of adding the hydrogen in the presence of the catalysts supported by a carbon nanotube structure. The structure is multi-walled and can allow the catalyst coating to be very thinly dispersed over a large surface area with positive results.
The process is, apparently, cost-effective but also retains stability during the hydroprocessing stage. Currently, the technique is only being applied to bio-oils obtained through pyrolysis - heating biomass to very high temperatures - but the team are working on new nanotechnology for other forms of biomass conversion.
Meanwhile, scientists at the UK's University of Manchester have identified two key enzymes found in yeast moulds which could lead to cleaner production of hydrocarbons. In fact, the new structures could, according to reports, replace the current methods of producing alpha-olefins from crude oil.
During the research, the scientists discovered that in certain circumstances, the organisms found in common yeast could produce volatile hydrocarbons.