Grant: Strategic Projects Supplemental Competition

The aim of this research is to find a ground-breaking ecological technique to produce biodiesel using renewable natural resource residues from the paper and forest industries. In opposition to the techniques used until now which target triacylglyceric type lipids (found in different types of vegetable oils), the technique investigated here will be using the carbohydrate-type macromolecular compounds cellulose and hemicellulose. Because of the difference in terms of reactivity for the 5 and 6 carbon carbohydrates found in the two previously stated macromolecules, it will be essential to investigate two different synthetic pathways. The pentoses, carbohydrates with 5 carbon atoms, will be hydrolyzed in an aqueous acid solution to produce furfural. A following hydrogenation will produce furfuryl alcohol which will be hydrolyzed to levulinic acid. The hexoses, carbohydrates with 6 carbon atoms, will be dehydrated first to hydroxymethylfurfural which will be dehydrated further to levulinic acid under more severe conditions. In both the pentose and hexose pathway, the produced levulinic acid will be esterified to biodiesel with ethanol or methnol. All the synthetic pathways will be closely followed by an analytical-organic team. This structure-identification process will be more than crucial for a complete optimization of the process as well as for an environmental impact study of the liquid solutions resulting from the process. This research project will also allow (in addition to the production of biodiesel) the training of three M.Sc students in a very important field in Canada for the years to come.