Processing biomass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10287730-B2
Application number	US-201615141734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 26, 2006
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composition comprising:
a lignocellulosic material comprising corn cobs, the lignocellulosic material having been treated to have a peak maximum molecular weight, as determined by gel permeation chromatography, of less than 25,000, and a crystallinity of less than 55 percent as determined by X-ray diffraction, wherein the treated material has a bulk density of less than 0.5 g/cm 3 , wherein the bulk density is determined using ASTM 018958.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulosic material comprises fibers having a length to diameter ratio of greater than 5.

3. The composition of claim 1 further comprising an enzyme or microorganism.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the enzyme is a cellulolytic enzyme.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic material has a BET surface area greater than 0.75 m 2 /g.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic material has a porosity greater than 72%, wherein the porosity is determined by mercury porosimetry.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the peak maximum molecular weight is less than the peak maximum molecular weight of the same type of lignocellulosic material in its native state.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the peak maximum molecular weight of the lignocellulosic material has been reduced by irradiating the material.

Assignees

• Xyleco Inc

Inventors

• Medoff Marshall

Classifications

• C12P2203/00

  Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source · CPC title

• D21C9/007

  by mechanical or physical means · CPC title

• D21C9/002

  by chemical means; preparation of dewatered pulp, e.g. in sheet or bulk form, containing special additives · CPC title

• D21C9/00

  After-treatment of cellulose pulp, e.g. of wood pulp, or cotton linters {; Treatment of dilute or dewatered pulp or process improvement taking place after obtaining the raw cellulosic material and not provided for elsewhere (polysaccharides, derivatives thereof C08B; paper-making D21B - D21H)} · CPC title

• D21B1/10 Primary

  by cutting actions · CPC title