Higher-Energy Fuel from Sugar developed

[Pluto]

University of Wisconsin Engineers Develop Higher-Energy
Liquid-Transportation Fuel from Sugar

A University of Wisconsin press release, announced that university chemical
and biological engineering Professor James Dumesic and his research team
have developed a two-stage process for turning biomass-derived sugar,
fructose, into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), a liquid transportation fuel with 40
percent greater energy density than ethanol, similar to that of gasoline.

By engineering sugar through a series of steps involving hydrochoric acid
and copper catalysts, salt and using butanol as a solvent, UW-Madison
researchers created a path for a sustainable, carbon-neutral fuel to reduce
global reliance on fossil fuels.

Not only does dimethylfuran have higher energy content than ethanol, it also
addresses other ethanol shortcomings. DMF is not soluble in water and
therefore cannot become contaminated by absorbing water from the atmosphere.
DMF is stable in storage and, in the evaporation stage of its production,
consumes one-third of the energy required to evaporate a solution of ethanol
produced by fermentation for biofuel applications.

Dumesic and graduate students Yuriy Roman-Leshkov, Christopher J. Barrett
and Zhen Y. Liu developed their new catalytic process, reported in the June
21 issue of the journal Nature, for creating DMF by expanding upon earlier
work,

[Eric Gisin]

"Pluto" <sil...@silver.com> wrote in message news:f5ka92$i5j$1...@mawar.singnet.com.sg...

> University of Wisconsin Engineers Develop Higher-Energy
> Liquid-Transportation Fuel from Sugar
>
> A University of Wisconsin press release, announced that university chemical
> and biological engineering Professor James Dumesic and his research team
> have developed a two-stage process for turning biomass-derived sugar,
> fructose, into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), a liquid transportation fuel with 40
> percent greater energy density than ethanol, similar to that of gasoline.
>

But photosynthesis produces glucose, not fructose. A few plants,
like sugar cane and beets produce lots of sucrose - glucose-fructose.
All plants are rich in cellulose, which is easily converted back to glucose.

I dont' see an abundant source of fructose anywhere.

[Paul F. Dietz]

Eric Gisin wrote:

> I dont' see an abundant source of fructose anywhere.

You mean, like the enzymatic process that converts glucose
to fructose, as in high fructose sweeteners?

Paul