Engineering Innovations, Challenges, and Opportunities for Lignocellulosic Biorefineries: Leveraging Biobased Polymer Production

• Published in: Annual review of chemical and biomolecular engineering Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 109 - 140
• Main Authors: Shapiro, Alison J, O'Dea, Robert M, Li, Sonia C, Ajah, Jamael C, Bass, Garrett F, Epps, Thomas H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Annual Reviews 08.06.2023; Annual Reviews, Inc
• Subjects: BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; biobased polymers; Biofuels; Biomass; Biorefineries; biorefinery; Chemistry; Engineering; Fractionation; life-cycle management; Lignin - chemistry; Lignocellulose; lignocellulosic biomass; Macromolecules; Petrochemicals; Plants; Polymerization; Polymers; Raw materials; Refining; Renewable resources; sustainability; valorization; biorefinery; lignocellulosic biomass; valorization; life-cycle management; biobased polymers; sustainability
• ISSN: 1947-5438; 1947-5446
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-101121-084152

Alternative polymer feedstocks are highly desirable to address environmental, social, and security concerns associated with petrochemical-based materials. Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) has emerged as one critical feedstock in this regard because it is an abundant and ubiquitous renewable resource. LCB can be deconstructed to generate valuable fuels, chemicals, and small molecules oligomers that are amenable to modification and polymerization. However, the diversity of LCB complicates the evaluation of biorefinery concepts in areas including process scale-up, production outputs, plant economics, and life-cycle management. We discuss aspects of current LCB biorefinery research with a focus on the major process stages, including feedstock selection, fractionation deconstruction, and characterization, along with product purification, functionalization, and polymerization to manufacture valuable macromolecular materials. We highlight opportunities to valorize underutilized and complex feedstocks, leverage advanced characterization techniques to predict and manage biorefinery outputs, and increase the fraction of biomass converted into valuable products.