Chapter 5
Commercial Aspects of Biomass
Deconstruction with Ionic Liquids
Aida R. Abouelela, Florence V. Gschwend, Francisco Malaret
and Jason P. Hallett
Abstract The adaption of any new process from academic research to industrialscale requires a robust economic profile demonstrating it can compete with peer
technologies. IonoSolv process is a recently developed ionic liquid-based pretreatment that pioneers the use of low-cost ionic liquids for biomass fractionation. The use
of low-cost protic ionic liquids elevated the techno-economic profile of the process,
making its potential commercialization highly viable. In this chapter, the authors
give an overview of key process-related aspects that underpinned this transformation, with special highlights on the progressive milestones achieved in developing
a promising commercial ionic liquid-based pretreatment process. We also highlight
the current challenges and knowledge gaps that need to be tackled to further elevate
the technology readiness level.
Keywords Biomass deconstruction · Biorefinery · Cellulose · Delignification ·
ionoSolv
5.1 Introduction
Energy and chemical production in our society is currently experiencing a transition
to replace the current fossil fuel-based economy with a more sustainable, renewablebased economy. This changing landscape requires designing cutting-edge technologies to make these new processes as efficient and reliable as conventional fossil
fuels-based technologies [1]. While all renewable energy resources (e.g., solar, wind,
nuclear) are inherently designed and implemented for energy generation, biomass
is the sole renewable source for biofuels, chemicals, and materials production. For
the past two decades, lignocellulosic biomass has attracted special attention as a
low-cost feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production at the scale anticipated in the
low-carbon energy scenarios [2, 3]. Benefits of using the abundant inedible lignocellulose biomass (grass, wood, and agricultural waste) as a biorefinery feedstock
A. R. Abouelela · F. V. Gschwend · F. Malaret · J. P. Hallett (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
e-mail: j.hallett@imperial.ac.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. B. Shiflett (ed.), Commercial Applications of Ionic Liquids, Green Chemistry
and Sustainable Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35245-5_5
87
Commercial Aspects of Biomass
Deconstruction with Ionic Liquids
Aida R. Abouelela, Florence V. Gschwend, Francisco Malaret
and Jason P. Hallett
Abstract The adaption of any new process from academic research to industrialscale requires a robust economic profile demonstrating it can compete with peer
technologies. IonoSolv process is a recently developed ionic liquid-based pretreatment that pioneers the use of low-cost ionic liquids for biomass fractionation. The use
of low-cost protic ionic liquids elevated the techno-economic profile of the process,
making its potential commercialization highly viable. In this chapter, the authors
give an overview of key process-related aspects that underpinned this transformation, with special highlights on the progressive milestones achieved in developing
a promising commercial ionic liquid-based pretreatment process. We also highlight
the current challenges and knowledge gaps that need to be tackled to further elevate
the technology readiness level.
Keywords Biomass deconstruction · Biorefinery · Cellulose · Delignification ·
ionoSolv
5.1 Introduction
Energy and chemical production in our society is currently experiencing a transition
to replace the current fossil fuel-based economy with a more sustainable, renewablebased economy. This changing landscape requires designing cutting-edge technologies to make these new processes as efficient and reliable as conventional fossil
fuels-based technologies [1]. While all renewable energy resources (e.g., solar, wind,
nuclear) are inherently designed and implemented for energy generation, biomass
is the sole renewable source for biofuels, chemicals, and materials production. For
the past two decades, lignocellulosic biomass has attracted special attention as a
low-cost feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production at the scale anticipated in the
low-carbon energy scenarios [2, 3]. Benefits of using the abundant inedible lignocellulose biomass (grass, wood, and agricultural waste) as a biorefinery feedstock
A. R. Abouelela · F. V. Gschwend · F. Malaret · J. P. Hallett (B)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
e-mail: j.hallett@imperial.ac.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. B. Shiflett (ed.), Commercial Applications of Ionic Liquids, Green Chemistry
and Sustainable Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35245-5_5
87