(646d) Multi-Stream Integrated Biorefinery for Sustainability and Economics

Abstract: Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant natural resource that can be employed as a substitute for petrochemical products, a source of renewable energy, and a means to mitigate global climate change. Considering the substantial impact on sustainability, lignocellulosic biorefinery design has been thoroughly studied for the past decade^1-3. Despite these efforts, the major challenge for biomass utilization remains to be the valorization of all cell wall components in a sustainable, economical, and integrated process. In particular, lignin valorization remains challenging due to its complex and heterogeneous structure. The fundamental structure-function relationship needs to be deciphered in the context of bioprocess design to address the challenges leading to this point. In order to address these challenges, we propose an innovative processing avenue form Multi-stream Integrated Biorefinery (MIBR) that is informed by how the lignin structure is changed by the fermentation process. The chemical structure further informs the process design based on the structure-function relationship. The novel biorefinery design allows the production of multiple value-added products, specifically, bioplastics and carbon fiber, using the same lignin, which substantially improved the economics and sustainability of biorefinery. Furthermore, we found that fermentation improves lignin structures to enhance carbon fiber performance, allowing synergistic process design based on chemical structure. Ultimately, we have further addressed the challenges of bioplastics quality by producing renewable carbon fiber reinforced bioplastics (RCFRP). Unlike conventional CFRP, the unique biorefinery design delivers a novel class of sustainable reinforced composite materials that can be biodegradable, and ensuring both sustainability and economic efficiency for the biorefinery industry.