Researchers Develop New Biofuel

Limited petroleum resources as well as the pollution associated with burning them have sent engineers scrambling for renewable, clean-burning fuels that are more readily available worldwide. On 21 June, an article in the journal Nature reported that researchers have discovered a potential new source of biofuel: simple sugars.

James Dumesic, of the University of Wisconsin's college of engineering, and several graduate students have discovered a way to convert naturally-occurring simple sugars to a fuel source. Through several steps, fructose (and other sugars) is converted into a chemical known as DMF (2,5-dimethylfuran). DMF has about 40% more energy content than the more familiar biofuel, ethanol. It is also more efficient and faster to produce then ethanol.

"Currently, ethanol is the only renewable liquid fuel produced on a large scale," says Dumesic. "But ethanol suffers from several limitations. It has relatively low energy density, evaporates readily, and can become contaminated by absorption of water from the atmosphere. It also requires an energy-intensive distillation process to separate the fuel from water." DMF does not appear to have these limitations.

In addition to these drawbacks, the primary source of ethanol is corn, which at first glance may appear to be beneficial for our economy and the environment. However, recently ethanol-generated corn shortages have been responsible for higher prices for many consumer products ranging from tortillas to corn-fed beef. Increased corn production also requires the use of more water resources for irrigation and application of pesticides; consequences that negate the positive effects of using corn as an alternative fuel source.

While corn is the primary source for ethanol, many different types of sources can be used when manufacturing DMF. This includes fruit, sludge from paper mills, and other similar 'waste' products that are often difficult to dispose of. Using such materials as these for sources of fuel is, thus, more environmentally friendly than growing and harvesting corn for ethanol, or digging wells from which to pump oil.

So, can consumers expect to see DMF fuel at the gas station soon? "We could make this happen within the next few years if we are told from an environmental safety point of view that this would be a good thing to do," Dumesic says. "The process we are talking about here is very much like a petroleum process and the knowledge of the petroleum industry in scaling things up could all apply here."

It is important to note that this fuel is still in development and research regarding the effects of burning it on the environment and biota are still necessary. This will take time. It is suspected that the environmental effects of burning plant-based fuel will be similar to burning petroleum-based fuel. However, if the DMF fuel is more efficient it is likely we will burn less of it. In addition, the economic effects may be more palatable for US consumers. Either way, it is hopeful that there may soon be alternatives for petroleum-based fuel on the market.

Nature: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7147/abs/nature05923.html