Butanol: the New Catchphrase in Biofuels?

1. You are currently researching new techniques to produce butanol. How is butanol different from ethanol, making butanol a better biofuel than ethanol?

Butanol is easier to store in humidity, is less corrosive, has a higher octane rating and energy density, a lower vapor pressure, and mixes better with gasoline and diesel than ethanol.

2. Can you walk us through the method and stages of production of the cellulose/lignin mix from pre-treated corn fiber to butyrate to butanol?

We propose to mimic evolutionary biosystems, such as intestines with a nondefined mixed culture of bacteria, as an efficient bioprocess (first-stage bioprocess) to break down lignocellulosic feedstocks into butyrate. A second-stage bioprocess with a pure-culture Clostridium sp. will then convert butyrate into the liquid biofuel - butanol.

3. What is the implication for the future of the results of the research?

This work is now done in the laboratory-stage. If successful, we will scale up to a pilot level and publish our work in the public domain.