Ionic liquids are room-temperature molten salts, composed mostly of organic ions that may undergo almost unlimited structural variations. This review covers the newest aspects of ionic liquids in applications where their ion conductivity is exploited; as electrochemical solvents for metal/semiconductor electrodeposition, and as batteries and fuel cells where conventional media, organic solvents (in batteries) or water (in polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells), fail. Biology and biomimetic processes in ionic liquids are also discussed. In these decidedly different materials, some enzymes show activity that is not exhibited in more traditional systems, creating huge potential for bioinspired catalysis and biofuel cells. Our goal in this review is to survey the recent key developments and issues within ionic-liquid research in these areas. As well as informing materials scientists, we hope to generate interest in the wider community and encourage others to make use of ionic liquids in tackling scientific challenges.

Ionic-liquid materials for the electrochemical challenges of the future.

Information pertaining to enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose by noncomplexed cellulase enzyme systems is reviewed with a particular emphasis on development of aggregated understanding incorporating substrate features in addition to concentration and multiple cellulase components. Topics considered include properties of cellulose, adsorption, cellulose hydrolysis, and quantitative models. A classification scheme is proposed for quantitative models for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose based on the number of solubilizing activities and substrate state variables included. We suggest that it is timely to revisit and reinvigorate functional modeling of cellulose hydrolysis, and that this would be highly beneficial if not necessary in order to bring to bear the large volume of information available on cellulase components on the primary applications that motivate interest in the subject.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/bit.20282

Toward an aggregated understanding of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose: noncomplexed cellulase systems.

http://www.loewenlabs.com/peter/wp-content/themes/atahualpa/Manuscripts/BA_29_675.pdf

Biomass pretreatment: fundamentals toward application

Outlook for cellulase improvement: screening and selection strategies.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticlePDF/2013/GC/C2GC36364J

Deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass with ionic liquids

Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials has provided a new technical tool to improve lignocellulosic ethanol production. To evaluate the influence of the residual IL in the fermentable sugars from enzymatic hydrolysis of IL pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials on the subsequent ethanol fermentation, the toxicity of the IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl) to Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY93161 was investigated. Firstly, the morphological structure, budding and metabolic activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY93161 at different [BMIM]Cl concentrations were observed under an optical microscope. The results show that its single cell morphology remained unchanged at all [BMIM]Cl concentrations, but its reproduction rate by budding and its metabolic activity decreased with the [BMIM]Cl concentration increasing. The half effective concentration (EC50) and the half inhibition concentration (IC50) of [BMIM]Cl to Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY93161 were then measured using solid and liquid suspension culture and their value were 0.53 and 0.39 g.L-1 respectively. Finally, the influence of [BMIM]Cl on ethanol production was investigated. The results indicate that the [BMIM]Cl inhibited the growth and ethanol production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY93161. This toxicity study provides useful basic data for further development in lignocellulosic ethanol production by using IL technology and it also enriches the IL toxicity data.

Investigation of the toxicity of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride to Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY93161 for lignocellulosic ethanol production

Coproduction of xylose, lignosulfonate and ethanol from wheat straw

Use of ionic liquids has provided a potential effective alternative in the conversion of carbohydrates in lignocellulosic materials into fermentable sugars for ethanol production. To evaluate how the remained ionic liquids in the fermentable sugars affect the subsequent ethanol fermentation process, the effects of ionic liquid 1butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) in the medium at different concentrations from 10 to 1 g L on the morphological structure, growth and ethanol fermentation of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY92022 were investigated and compared with the control. First, the morphological structures of the yeast at different [Bmim]Cl concentrations were observed under an optical microscope. The results show that its single cell morphology remained unchanged at all [Bmim]Cl concentrations, but its reproduction rate by budding decreased with the [Bmim]Cl concentration increasing. Then its growth during ethanol fermentation process at different [Bmim]Cl concentrations was examined. The results indicated that the ionic liquid [Bmim]Cl inhibited the yeast growth. Its specific growth rate during the log phase and bacterial concentration during the stationary phase all decreased with the increase of [Bmim]Cl concentration. Finally, the ethanol fermentation process at different [Bmim]Cl concentrations was investigated and the results demonstrated that the ionic liquid [Bmim]Cl had a negative effect on ethanol production. When the [Bmim]Cl concentration increased, the final ethanol concentration and its yield from the fermentable sugars decreased, the finally remaining fermentable sugars increased, and it is interesting the ethanol specific formation rate at stationary phase remained unchanged at all [Bmim]Cl concentrations. It was also observed that when the [Bmim]Cl in the medium was 10 g L, the ethanol fermentation process data was almost no different to that of the control. This suggests that the [Bmim]Cl in the fermentable sugars should be controlled below 10 g L, thus it would not affect the subsequent ethanol fermentation process.

/pdf/effects-of-the-ionic-liquid-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-54f50l5184.pdf

Effects of the Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride on the Growth and Ethanol Fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY92022

The invention relates to a method for abstracting pomelo peel essential oil from pomelo peel. Firstly the pomelo peel dried in shade is crushed, then is sieved for 40 meshes, then hydrophilic ion liquid is added into the pomelo peel, the mass-volume ratio of the pomelo peel and the hydrophilic ion liquid is 1:2 to 20 (g:ml), then the microwave heating is performed until the pomelo peel is completely dissolved, the frequency of the microwave is 2450 MHz, then conventional water vapour distillation method is adopted to extract the pomelo peel essential oil, the microwave heating temperature is at 80 to 120 DEG C, and the hydrophilic ion liquid is an arbitrary one of [BMIM]AcO, [BMIM]Cl or [AMIM]Cl. The invention has the advantages: firstly, the preparation method is simple, the prepared pomelo peel essential oil has good quality and higher yield, and the yield rate of the pomelo peel essential oil prepared through the method is about 18 to 25 percent higher than the yield rate of the pomelo peel essential oil directly prepared through the water vapour distillation method; secondly, the adopted hydrophilic ion liquid can be recovered and circularly used through adopting ion exchange method, and basically the environmental pollution can not be caused.

Method for extracting pomelo ped essential oil from pomelo ped

Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) is potentially a relatively inexpensive and abundant feedstock for ethanol production. One of the most challenging steps during the lignocellulosic ethanol production is to convert the carbohydrates in LB to the fermentable reducing sugars (FRS) in an economically viable and environmentally friendly way. The acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of LB in ionic liquids (ILs) has provided a promising technical tool to improve upon the traditional FRS production process. Compared to the conventional FRS production process from LB via the acid or enzymatic hydrolysis method, it has many advantages, such as a simplified process, mild reaction conditions, low acid consumption, and low equipment investment. However, there are still some technical challenges that need to be solved regarding its use at an industrial scale, for example, improving its reaction selectivity, developing effective methods to separate the FRS and ILs, and alleviating the negative effect of the remaining ILs in FRS on subsequent ethanol fermentation. This editorial will give a brief discussion about opportunities and challenges of the acid catalyzed hydrolysis of LB in ILs for ethanol production.

https://ojs.cnr.ncsu.edu/index.php/BioRes/article/download/BioRes_11_1_Editorial_Zhu_Hydrolysis_Lignocellulosic_Biomass/3972

Qiming Chen

Papers

Investigation of the toxicity of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride to Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY93161 for lignocellulosic ethanol production

Coproduction of xylose, lignosulfonate and ethanol from wheat straw

Effects of the Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride on the Growth and Ethanol Fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AY92022

Method for extracting pomelo ped essential oil from pomelo ped

Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass in Ionic Liquids for Ethanol Production: Opportunities & Challenges