IONIC LIQUID SYSTEMS FOR THE PROCESSING OF BIOMASS, THEIR COMPONENTS AND/OR DERIVATIVES, AND MIXTURES THEREOF

• US 20100319862A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Inventors: RAHMAN, Mustafizur
• Granted Patent: US 8,668,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 162/50
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/20 with organic solvents or in solvent environment
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 5/00 Other processes for obtaining cellulose, e.g. cooking cotton linters obtaining fibres for spinning D01C; Processes characterised by the choice of cellulose-containing starting materials

Abstract

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods that involve ionic liquids and biomass. Multiphasic compositions involving ionic liquids and a polymer and uses of such compositions for fractioning various components of biomass are disclosed. Methods of making and using compositions comprising an ionic liquid, biomass, and a catalyst are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of fractioning biomass, comprising:

a. providing a fractionation composition comprising the biomass, an ionic liquid, and a fractionation polymer, wherein the fractionation composition is substantially free of water and wherein the fractionation composition is mono-phasic at a temperature; and

b. adjusting the temperature to provide a biphasic composition,

wherein a portion of the biomass is fractioned between each phase of the biphasic composition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fractionation composition of step a is heated by microwave radiation, infrared irradiation, or ultrasound irradiation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature adjustment of step b is by cooling.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of ionic liquid to fractionation polymer is from about 10:

1 to about 1;

10.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the fractionation composition has less than 1 percent by weight water.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises a lignocelullosic material.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises southern yellow pine.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass is a crustacean biomass.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is molten at a temperature of from about −

44°

C. to about 120°

C.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is substantially free of a nitrogen-comprising base.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid comprises one or more cations and one or more anions and wherein the cations comprise one or more compounds having the formula

29. The method of claim 1, wherein ionic liquid comprises one or more cations and one or more anions and wherein the one or more cations comprise one or more compounds having the formula:

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the one or more cations comprise an imidazolium ion having the formula:

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid comprises 1-(C₁-C₆ alkyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium halide or 1-(C₁-C₆ alkyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium C₁-C₆ carboxylate.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the fractionation polymer comprises a polyalkylene glycol.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the polyalkylene glycol comprises polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the fractionation polymer comprises polyethyleneimine, polybutyletheramine, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), a copolymer of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with polyvinylimidazole, polysaccharide, pectin, Ficoll, hydroxypropyl starch, polyvinyl alcohol, a copolymer of polyvinyl alcohol with polyvinylimidazole, polyvinylcaprolactam, polyvinylpyrrolidone, protein, oligopeptide, mixture and ester derivatives thereof.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

5-7. -7. (canceled)

9-13. -13. (canceled)

15-17. -17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

31-33. -33. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

38-42. -42. (canceled)

44. A fractionation composition, comprising:

biomass, an ionic liquid, and a fractionation polymer, wherein the composition is bi-phasic and wherein the composition is substantially free of water.

46. The composition of claim 44, wherein the ratio of ionic liquid to fractionation polymer is from about 10:

1 to about 1;

10.

50. The composition of claim 44, wherein the fractionation composition has less than about 1 percent by weight water.

51. The composition of claim 44, wherein the biomass comprises a lignocelullosic material.

53. The composition of claim 44, wherein the biomass comprises southern yellow pine.

54. The composition of claim 44, wherein the biomass is a crustacean biomass.

55. The composition of claim 44, wherein the ionic liquid is substantially free of a nitrogen-comprising base.

58. The composition of claim 44, wherein the ionic liquid comprises one or more cations and one or more anions and wherein the cations comprise one or more compounds having the formula

59. The composition of claim 44, wherein ionic liquid comprises one or more cations and one or more anions and wherein the one or more cations comprise one or more compounds having the formula:

60. The composition of claim 59, wherein the one or more cations comprise an imidazolium ion having the formula:

64. The composition of claim 44, wherein the ionic liquid comprises 1-(C₁-C₆ alkyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium halide or 1-(C₁-C₆ alkyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium C₁-C₆ carboxylate.

66. The composition of claim 44, wherein the fractionation polymer comprises a polyalkylene glycol.

67. The composition of claim 66, wherein the polyalkylene glycol comprises polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol.

73. The composition of claim 44, wherein the fractionation polymer comprises polyethyleneimine, polybutyletheramine, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), a copolymer of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with polyvinylimidazole, polysaccharide, pectin, Ficoll, hydroxypropyl starch, polyvinyl alcohol, a copolymer of polyvinyl alcohol with polyvinylimidazole, polyvinylcaprolactam, polyvinylpyrrolidone, protein, oligopeptide, mixture and ester derivatives thereof.

45. (canceled)

47-49. -49. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

57. (canceled)

61-63. -63. (canceled)

65. (canceled)

68-72. -72. (canceled)

74-79. -79. (canceled)