Abstract: Provided are two-stage processes by which primary alcohols such as ethanol or 1-butanol are converted into distillate-range ethers and olefins utilizing Guerbet coupling followed by intermolecular dehydration. The ethers can be used, for example, as cetane-improvers in diesel fuel, while the olefins can be hydrogenated to afford paraffins.

Abstract: A method of making polyesters and polyurethanes from biomass-derived polyols. The polyol is biomass-derived and has the structure: wherein dashed bonds are single or double bonds and R is selected from the group consisting of —OH and ?O. Polyurethanes are made by reacting the polyol with a diisocyanate. Polyesters are made by reacting the polyol with a dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method to recover constituent polymers in multilayer plastic films or mixed plastic wastes. The method comprises selectively dissolving a polymer in a solvent at a temperature, wherein the polymer is soluble, but other polymers in the multilayer plastic film or mixed plastic waste are not. The solubilized polymer is then separated from the multilayer plastic film or mixed plastic waste by mechanical filtration and precipitated by changing the temperature and/or adding a cosolvent. The process is repeated for each of the polymer component, resulting in a number of segregated streams that can then be recycled. Computational tools can be used to select solvent systems and temperatures that selectively dissolve different polymers from among all of the components.

Abstract: Processes for producing alcohols from biomass are provided. The processes utilize supercritical methanol to depolymerize biomass with subsequent conversion to a mixture of alcohols. In particular the disclosure relates to continuous processes which produce high yields of alcohols through recycling gases and further employ dual reactor configurations which improve overall alcohol yields. Processes for producing higher ethers and olefins from the so-formed alcohols, through alcohol coupling and subsequent dehydration are also provided. The resulting distillate range ethers and olefins are useful as components in liquid fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.

Abstract: A method of making polyesters and polyurethanes from biomass-derived polyols. The polyol is biomass-derived and has the structure: wherein dashed bonds are single or double bonds and R is selected from the group consisting of —OH and ?O. Polyurethanes are made by reacting the polyol with a diisocyanate. Polyesters are made by reacting the polyol with a dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: A method of making of 1,2,5,6-hexanetetrol (“tetrol”). The method includes the steps of contacting a reaction solution containing water as well as levoglucosenone, dihydrolevoglucosenone, and/or levoglucosanol, with a catalyst containing metal and acid functionalities, at temperature of from about 100° C. to about 175° C., and a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 1 bar to about 50 bar (about 0.1 MPa to about 5 MPa), and for a time wherein at least a portion of the reactant is converted into 1,2,5,6-hexanetetrol.

Abstract: Provided are two-stage processes by which primary alcohols such as ethanol or 1-butanol are converted into distillate-range ethers and olefins utilizing Guerbet coupling followed by intermolecular dehydration. The ethers can be used, for example, as cetane-improvers in diesel fuel, while the olefins can be hydrogenated to afford paraffins.

Abstract: Processes for producing alcohols from biomass are provided. The processes utilize supercritical methanol to depolymerize biomass with subsequent conversion to a mixture of alcohols. In particular the disclosure relates to continuous processes which produce high yields of alcohols through recycling gases and further employ dual reactor configurations which improve overall alcohol yields. Processes for producing higher ethers and olefins from the so-formed alcohols, through alcohol coupling and subsequent dehydration are also provided. The resulting distillate range ethers and olefins are useful as components in liquid fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.

Abstract: A method of making of 1,2,5,6-hexanetetrol (“tetrol”). The method includes the steps of contacting a reaction solution containing water as well as levoglucosenone, dihydrolevoglucosenone, and/or levoglucosanol, with a catalyst containing metal and acid functionalities, at temperature of from about 100° C. to about 175° C., and a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 1 bar to about 50 bar (about 0.1 MPa to about 5 MPa), and for a time wherein at least a portion of the reactant is converted into 1,2,5,6-hexanetetrol.

Abstract: A method of making a solution containing glucose and galactose. The method includes the steps of reducing the concentration of non-protein nitrogen-containing (NPN) compounds in a dairy by-product stream comprising lactose to yield a reduced-NPN dairy by-product stream; and contacting the reduced-NPN dairy by-product stream of step (a) with an acid catalyst at a temperature of from about 120° C. to about 200° C., and for a time of from about 1 minute to about 180 minutes, wherein at least a portion of the lactose contained in the reduced-NPN dairy by-product stream is hydrolyzed to monosaccharides comprising glucose and galactose. The dairy by-product stream may be ultrafiltered prior to reducing its NPN concentration.

Abstract: Described is a method of reducing CO2 to CO using visible radiation and plasmonic photocatalysts. The method includes contacting CO2 with a catalyst, in the presence of H2, wherein the catalyst has plasmonic photocatalytic reductive activity when exposed to radiation having a wavelength between 380 nm and 780 nm. The catalyst, CO2, and H2 are exposed to non-coherent radiation having a wavelength between 380 nm and 780 nm such that the catalyst undergoes surface plasmon resonance. The surface plasmon resonance increases the rate of CO2 reduction to CO as compared to the rate of CO2 reduction to CO without surface plasmon resonance in the catalyst.

Abstract: A method to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is described in which a reactant including cellulose, lignocellulose, or a combination thereof, in a reaction mixture of a polar, aprotic solvent and an acid is reacted for a time, at a temperature, and at a hydrogen ion concentration wherein at least a portion of the cellulose or lignocellulose present in the reactant is converted to HMF. The reaction mixture is initially substantially devoid of water. As the reaction proceeds, dehydration of intermediates causes the water concentration in the reaction mixture to rise to no more than about 2.0 wt % water.

Abstract: A method to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is described in which a reactant including cellulose, lignocellulose, or a combination thereof, in a reaction mixture of a polar, aprotic solvent and an acid is reacted for a time, at a temperature, and at a hydrogen ion concentration wherein at least a portion of the cellulose or lignocellulose present in the reactant is converted to HMF. The reaction mixture is initially substantially devoid of water. As the reaction proceeds, dehydration of intermediates causes the water concentration in the reaction mixture to rise to no more than about 2.0 wt % water.

Abstract: A method to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is described in which a reactant including cellulose, lignocellulose, or a combination thereof, in a reaction mixture of a polar, aprotic solvent and an acid is reacted for a time, at a temperature, and at a hydrogen ion concentration wherein at least a portion of the cellulose or lignocellulose present in the reactant is converted to HMF. The reaction mixture is initially substantially devoid of water. As the reaction proceeds, dehydration of intermediates causes the water concentration in the reaction mixture to rise to no more than about 0.2 wt % water.

Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods for fluid hydrocarbon product, and more specifically, to compositions and methods for fluid hydrocarbon product via catalytic pyrolysis. Some embodiments relate to methods for the production of specific aromatic products (e.g., benzene, toluene, naphthalene, xylene, etc.) via catalytic pyrolysis. Some such methods may involve the use of a composition comprising a mixture of a solid hydrocarbonaceous material and a heterogeneous pyrolytic catalyst component. In some embodiments, an olefin compound may be co-fed to the reactor and/or separated from a product stream and recycled to the reactor to improve yield and/or selectivity of certain products. The methods described herein may also involve the use of specialized catalysts. For example, in some cases, zeolite catalysts may be used. In some instances, the catalysts are characterized by particle sizes in certain identified ranges that can lead to improve yield and/or selectivity of certain products.

Abstract: Described is a method of reducing CO2 to CO using visible radiation and plasmonic photocatalysts. The method includes contacting CO2 with a catalyst, in the presence of H2, wherein the catalyst has plasmonic photocatalytic reductive activity when exposed to radiation having a wavelength between 380 nm and 780 nm. The catalyst, CO2, and H2 are exposed to non-coherent radiation having a wavelength between 380 nm and 780 nm such that the catalyst undergoes surface plasmon resonance. The surface plasmon resonance increases the rate of CO2 reduction to CO as compared to the rate of CO2 reduction to CO without surface plasmon resonance in the catalyst.

Abstract: A method to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is described in which a reactant including cellulose, lignocellulose, or a combination thereof, in a reaction mixture of a polar, aprotic solvent and an acid is reacted for a time, at a temperature, and at a hydrogen ion concentration wherein at least a portion of the cellulose or lignocellulose present in the reactant is converted to HMF. The reaction mixture is initially substantially devoid of water. As the reaction proceeds, dehydration of intermediates causes the water concentration in the reaction mixture to rise to no more than about 0.2 wt % water.

Abstract: This invention relates to compositions comprising fluid hydrocarbon products, and to methods for making fluid hydrocarbon products via catalytic pyrolysis. Some embodiments relate to methods for the production of specific aromatic products (e.g., benzene, toluene, naphthalene, xylene, etc.) via catalytic pyrolysis. Some such methods involve the use of a composition comprising a mixture of a solid hydrocarbonaceous material and a heterogeneous pyrolytic catalyst component. The methods described herein may also involve the use of specialized catalysts. For example, in some cases, zeolite catalysts may be used.

Abstract: A method to make triols and diols is described. The method includes the steps of performing an aqueous-phase hydrodeoxygenation reaction on a feedstock containing a biomass-derived reactant in aqueous solution. The feedstock is contacted with a heterogeneous metal-containing bifunctional catalyst or a combination of two or more heterogeneous metal-containing catalysts that catalyze cleavage of C—C and C—O bonds, for a time, temperature, pressure, and weight hourly space velocity to yield a product mix comprising triols, diols, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of generating hydrogen from a bio-oil, comprising hydrogenating a water-soluble fraction of the bio-oil with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, and reforming the water-soluble fraction by aqueous-phase reforming in the presence of a reforming catalyst, wherein hydrogen is generated by the reforming, and the amount of hydrogen generated is greater than that consumed by the hydrogenating. The method can further comprise hydrocracking or hydrotreating a lignin fraction of the bio-oil with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst wherein the lignin fraction of bio-oil is obtained as a water-insoluble fraction from aqueous extraction of bio-oil. The hydrogen used in the hydrogenating and in the hydrocracking or hydrotreating can be generated by reforming the water-soluble fraction of bio-oil.