Vol.2 No.4 2010

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Research paper : Bioethanol production from woods with the aid of nanotechnology (T. Endo)−281−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.2 No.4 (2010) Law (1 MPa or higher), so the maintenance of the plant will be easy. In the future, we shall optimize the process further, and investigate ways to enhance efficiency by using chemicals that is low cost, has low environmental load, and does not affect the following saccharification and fermentation.2 General use of biomassQuestion and comment (Koichi Mizuno)In this research, using the wood as starting materials, the fermentation process of cellulose and hemicellulose to ethanol through enzymatic saccharification was shown, as well as the ways of manufacturing materials such as polymers from lignin. This may lead to the biomass refinery concept that may replace the conventional refinery using crude oil. What do you think is the effective R&D strategy to promote the biomass refinery?Answer (Takashi Endo)Although there is a long history of research for use of lignin, there has been no definitive technology or product. However, when bioethanol production is commercialized, like in our technology, new lignin different from the one in the conventional papermaking process is produced in large amounts. Looking at the current petrochemical products, crude oil can be used without loss from asphalt and gasoline to plastic. In the future biomass refinery, I think the development of a technology to utilize the wood components without loss and the construction of a social system where they can be utilized are important. To achieve this, I think it is important to create some characteristic products that can only be achieved with biomass products, rather than creating alternatives to petroleum products. To do so, it is necessary to accurately understand the basic properties of cellulose nanofiber and residue lignin obtained from pretreatment, by using analytical methods, and to establish an innovative product realization technology based on the new knowledge obtained and the theories and principles that are already known.

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