(585h) Biocompatible DES-Assisted One-Pot Mechanochemical Conversion of Biomass

Efficiency limitations represent a major hurdle to achieving sustainable bioethanol refineries. Despite advancements in biomass processing, the recalcitrant structure of lignocellulose and the continued use of toxic solvents present significant challenges. This study proposes a sustainable yet efficient biorefinery approach by integrating green, biocompatible solvents with a ball-mill mechanical pretreatment. The result is a high-solid-loading, one-pot method that fully harnesses lignocellulosic feedstocks' abundant, renewable potential through mechanochemical conversion.

By combining deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with optimized mechanical conditions, fermentable sugar yields are maximized in a rapid, low-temperature, and competitively efficient approach. As the demand for replacing conventional organic solvents with green alternatives grows, this innovative process offers a way to improve sugar yield while meeting growing environmental sustainability standards. The low-temperature nature of ball milling preserves native lignin structures, creating a secondary revenue stream by enabling lignin valorization into platform phenolic compounds via hydrogenolysis.

The effectiveness of this mechanochemical-DES approach in enhancing the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass, even at solid loadings as high as 35%, will be assessed by quantifying the recovery of fermentable sugars. Sugar yields will be compared to those of conventional high solid loading alternatives, and imaging techniques will be employed to visualize the impact of mechanochemical treatment on structural degradation and high sugar release. The structure of recovered lignin will be characterized to assess its potential for higher-value products.

Through decreasing reliance on traditional, chemically-intensive biomass processing techniques, this work aims to advance sustainable biorefineries and offers a foundation for future process scale-up.