Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods to produce ketones suitable for use as fuels and lubricants by catalytic conversion of an acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation product mixture that can be derived from biomass.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the catalytic conversion of alcohols into hydrocarbon ketones suitable for use as fuels. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the catalytic conversion of a mixture of isopropanol-butanol-ethanol (IBE) or acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE), into ketones suitable for use as fuels. The ABE or IBE mixtures may be obtained from the fermentation of biomass or sugars.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mutant thermostable glycosyl hydrolases family 7 enzymes, including mutant Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I. In particular, the present disclosure relates to mutant thermostable enzymes, compositions containing the enzymes, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the catalytic conversion of alcohols into hydrocarbon ketones suitable for use as fuels. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the catalytic conversion of a mixture of isopropanol-butanol-ethanol (IBE) or acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE), into ketones suitable for use as fuels. The ABE or IBE mixtures may be obtained from the fermentation of biomass or sugars.

Abstract: Hydrolysis and degradation of cellulose-containing biomass by use of a polypeptide having cellulase activity is provided. Also provided are polypeptides having cellulase activity, such as archaeal cellulases, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and compositions containing the polypeptides, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising an ionic liquid and a thermostable cellulose, and a method of hydrolyzing a cellulose, comprising: (a) providing a composition comprising a solution comprising an ionic liquid and a cellulose, and (b) introducing a thermostable cellulase to the solution, such that the cellulose is hydrolyzed by the cellulase. The present invention also provides for a Thermatoga maritima thermostable cellulase mutant with increased cellulase activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising a solution comprising (a) an ionic liquid (IL) or ionic liquid-aqueous (ILA) phase and (b) an organic phase, wherein the solution comprises a sugar and a boronic acid. The present invention also provides for a method of removing a sugar from a solution, comprising: (a) providing a solution comprising (i) an IL or ILA phase and (ii) an organic phase, wherein the solution comprises an IL, a sugar and a boronic acid; (b) contacting the sugar with the boronic acid to form a sugar-boronic acid complex, (c) separating the organic phase and the aqueous phase, wherein the organic phase contains the sugar-boronic acid complex, and optionally (d) separating the sugar from the organic phase.

Abstract: Hydrolysis and degradation of cellulose-containing biomass by use of a polypeptide having cellulase activity is provided. Also provided are polypeptides having cellulase activity, such as archaeal cellulases, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and compositions containing the polypeptides, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mutant thermostable glycosyl hydrolases family 7 enzymes, including mutant Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I. In particular, the present disclosure relates to mutant thermostable enzymes, compositions containing the enzymes, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods to produce ketones suitable for use as fuels and lubricants by catalytic conversion of an acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation product mixture that can be derived from biomass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods of pretreating cellulosic biomass with an ionic liquid. More specifically it relates to pretreating cellulosic biomass in an ionic liquid and adding a salt containing a kosmotropic anion to facilitate separation of precipitated solids, the aqueous phase, and the ionic liquid phase. The ionic liquid phase may be recycled in a subsequent pretreatment step, and the precipitated solids are enzymatically hydrolyzed to produce smaller oligomers of cellulose, cellbiose, and/or glucose. The kosmotropic anion facilitates phase separation where the aqueous phase contains very low concentrations of the ionic liquid.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising a solution comprising (a) an ionic liquid (IL) or ionic liquid-aqueous (ILA) phase and (b) an organic phase, wherein the solution comprises a sugar and a boronic acid. The present invention also provides for a method of removing a sugar from a solution, comprising: (a) providing a solution comprising (i) an IL or ILA phase and (ii) an organic phase, wherein the solution comprises an IL, a sugar and a boronic acid; (b) contacting the sugar with the boronic acid to form a sugar-boronic acid complex, (c) separating the organic phase and the aqueous phase, wherein the organic phase contains the sugar-boronic acid complex, and optionally (d) separating the sugar from the organic phase.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of hydrolyzing a cellulose, hemicellulose, or ligno-cellulose comprising: (a) contacting (i) an ionic liquid (IL) or ionic liquid-aqueous (ILA) phase comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, or ligno-cellulose, or a mixture thereof, and (ii) an acid, such that the cellulose, hemicellulose, or ligno-cellulose is hydrolyzed into sugar, and (b) optionally adding water to the IL or ILA phase wherein the proportion of water in the IL or ILA phase does not exceed about 60% by weight. The present invention also provides for a method of recovering a sugar comprising contacting an IL or ILA phase and an organic phase comprising an organic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising an ionic liquid and a thermostable cellulose, and a method of hydrolyzing a cellulose, comprising: (a) providing a composition comprising a solution comprising an ionic liquid and a cellulose, and (b) introducing a thermostable cellulase to the solution, such that the cellulose is hydrolyzed by the cellulase. The present invention also provides for a Thermatoga maritima thermostable cellulase mutant with increased cellulase activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an adsorbent polymer having improved selectivity for cadmium ion, comprising a water-insoluble polymeric material having available surface pendant chelating groups having a multiplicity of thiol (--SH) groups, wherein pairs of thiol groups are connected by a chain R having between about 10 and 16 atoms of the structure: ##STR1## which thiol terminated chains are capable of chelating cadmium ion in rings of between about 11 and 17 atoms, andA is selected from alkylene having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkylene, aryl or arylalkylene. Preferably the adsorbent polymer having improved selectivity for cadmium of claim 1, wherein the pendant chelating groups having a thiol structure: ##STR2##BACKGROUND OF INVENTION1. Origin of the InventionPortions of the research leading to this invention were funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Cooperative Agreement No. CR 811984-01-0) and the University of California (Berkeley) Chancellor's Patent Fund (No. 401220-09520).

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a product by enzyme-catalyzed reaction using supercritical fluid as a solvent. Improved reaction times, conversion efficiencies and/or other efficiencies (such as improved ease of product recovery) are obtained.

Abstract: An improved fermentation process for producing alcohol which includes the combination of vacuum fermentation and vacuum distillation. Preferably, the vacuum distillation is carried out in two phases, one a fermentor proper operated at atmospheric pressure and a flash phase operated at reduced pressure with recycle of fermentation brew having a reduced alcohol content to the fermentor, using vapor recompression heating of the flash-pot recycle stream to heat the flash-pot or the distillation step, and using "water load balancing" (i.e., the molar ratio of water in the fermentor feed is the same as the molar ratio of water in the distillation overhead).