A US research team claims to have developed a way of manufacturing a cheaper, more efficient biofuel from fructose using a ruthenium catalyst.

Prior to the exploratory work from a team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the process of turning plants and their sugars into 2.5-dimethylfuran (DMF), which has 40 per cent greater energy density than ethanol, has been stymied chiefly by prohibitive production costs.

However, a group of scientists, headed by Professor James Dumesic, have now developed a way of turning sugar into 5- hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and then converting this into DMF through use of a ruthenium and copper catalyst system.

The process in the catalyst works through adding hydrogen and breaking a carbon-oxygen bond, which removes oxygen from the sugar.

This, in turn, increases the molecule's energy density and decreases its water solubility.

Although conceding that the work is still at a nascent stage, according to Mr Dumesic, it nonetheless represents a significant breakthrough on the road to developing a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuels.

He said: "There are some challenges that we need to address, but this work shows that we can produce a liquid transportation fuel from biomass that has energy density comparable to petrol."

The team now hope to extend the scope of their work to use glucose derived from the parts of plants that are ordinarily wasted as an energy source.

Source:

Engineers Develop Higher-energy Liquid Transportation Fuel From Sugar, 20/06/07
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070620154945.htm

Engineers develop higher-energy liquid-transportation fuel from sugar, 20/06/07
http://www.news.wisc.edu/13881


Ÿ Adfero Ltd