logo
menu
← Return to the newsfeed...

Insight into cellulose structure could break down walls to cost effective biofuels production

A ground-breaking new study has characterised the molecular features that make cellulose resistant to degradation. The findings could be hugely significant in the quest to develop cost-effective means of producing biofuels, as well as various valuable chemicals.

A vital structural component of plant cell walls, cellulose is highly resistant to degradation. This means significant amounts of time and energy are required to break down plant matter, in turn adversely affecting the cost-effectiveness of biofuels.

The new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, has revealed for the first time structural differences between surface layers and the crystalline core of the two types of cellulose found in plant cell walls, insights which could help researchers develop new strategies for efficient, cost-effective renewable energy production.

Researchers from Washington State University; the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL); and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed an innovative high resolution technique called Total Internal Reflection Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy, which they combined with conventional Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy to determine the molecular structures of cellulose’s surface layers and crystalline bulk.

By revealing the non-uniform structure of cellulose, the results are challenging the traditional understanding of cellulose’s composition. The research was performed by Libing Zhang, Li Fu, Hong-fei Wang and Bin Yang.






221 queries in 0.499 seconds.