Connecting Biomass and Petroleum Processing with a Chemical Bridge

摘要

Petroleum is not only the primary feedstock for liquid fuels but also the basis for most of the chemicals and polymers that we use (1,2). Continuing questions about the longevity and stability of petroleum supplies, as well as the environmental impacts of its production and use, have driven the development of alternatives such as agricultural or woody biomass. Biomass could supplement petroleum as the main feedstock for fuel and chemical production (3,4), but it will be necessary to develop large-scale fermentation infrastructure for fuels, as well as new synthesis routes to chemicals that start with carbohydrates .