Combustíveis Valeric: Nova geração de biogasolina e biodiesel a partir da madeira

(Notícia em Inglês)
Jean-Paul Lange and his co-workers at Shell in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Cheshire (UK), and Hamburg (Germany) have now developed a highly promising new generation of biofuels based on wood. As the scientists report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, modern vehicles could use it without modification, and the existing network of fueling stations could be used for distribution.

The first generation of biofuels was based on sugars, starch, and oils derived from plants. However, because these raw materials are primarily used for food, they could not be supplied in the quantities required by the transportation sector. One potential alternative is lignocellulose (latin lignum = wood), which makes up the cell walls of woody plants. This material is more widely distributed and cheaper, and its use can be produced more sustainably. However, until now lignocellulose has required complex and expensive processing for conversion to biofuels.

physorg.com»