(44c) Multistream Integrated Biorefinery Achieved By Integration of Lignin Bioconversion and Carbon Fiber Manufacturing

Lignin is the main compound of lignocellulosic biomass and the major waste in paper industry. Recent technology advancements have enabled the bioconversion of lignin to higher value products. In addition, lignin has long been sought after as a feedstock for renewable carbon fiber. Our recent study discovered that lignin carbon fiber quality is defined by molecular uniformity, and lignin bioconversion can remove the small molecular weight lignin to derive more uniform fraction. These discoveries have enabled us to develop a novel integrated process to derive multiple products out of lignocellulosic biorefinery. The lignin-containing biorefinery was used for producing lipid and PHA with Rhodococcus opacus and Pseudomonas putida, respectively. The lignin after fermentation was precipitated to manufacture carbon fiber. The carbon fiber derived from lignin after fermentation has 66.2% higher tensile strength and 34.4% higher modulus of elasticity than the lignin from original biorefinery waste. This finding highlighted a new multistream biorefinery to produce both lipid or PHA from bioconversion and higher quality carbon fiber. The multistream biorefinery will improve the sustainability and economics of biorefinery substantially.