Functional Materials and Techniques for Biomass Conversion and Utilization

The resolution of carbon emission issues demands advancement of functional materials and techniques for biomass conversion and utilization. In this chapter, the developed technologies and associated materials in these fields are comprehensively summarized. Specifically, the typical categories, chemical structures and potential products of biomass are first outlined. The representative approaches and technologies are then presented along with the catalytic materials applied in these processes, focusing on both fundamental understanding and practical utilization. Finally, based on reported techno-economic analyses, the economic metrics of these techniques are compared in detail. Generally, the suitable upgrading approach is dependent on the chemical character of the feedstock biomass. From an economic point of view, the principle should be to minimize the change in chemical states between the feedstock and the value-added product in a specific upgrading approach, to maintain atom efficiency. For example, for a feedstock with high oxygen content, it is likely more cost-effective to produce syngas by gasification than liquid fuel by hydrotreatment; however, the contrast may be reversed for low-oxygen-content biomass. In addition, all these techniques may be combined within a group to maximize the value of the resulting products.