Special Issue "Chemicals from Biomass"
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2016)
Dr. Thomas J. Farmer
Despite the recent slump in global crude oil prices interest in the burgeoning bio-based economy has continued to grow, this is especially so for the bio-based chemicals and materials sector. Evidently researchers, industry and consumers alike see the pressing need to move away from non-renewable petrochemicals and to replace this with sustainably derived bio-based chemicals. Significant developments have been achieved in the field of biomass-derived chemicals and materials over the last 20 years, and this movement has coincided with the proliferation of the concepts of Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Clearly both the use of sustainable non-depleting resources and the application of more environmentally benign synthetic methods make an ideal union for the 21st Century Chemical Industry. However, the switch from crude oil to biomass is not as simple as it first appears. Biomass as a feedstock is considerably more complex than fossil resources, with a chemical composition that varies by species, by season and by location. Biomass also contains substantially more heteroatoms and so the chemicals produced from biomass, so called Platform Molecules, also contain greater functionality. This functionality can be a benefit or a burden, with new catalysts and processes needed to deal with this increased functionality. There are also many possible routes from which chemicals can be derived from biomass, starting from extracting of biochemicals, through to chemical, biological or thermal deconstruction. This Special Issue, Chemicals from Biomass, particularly welcomes research articles and reviews that demonstrate how:
- Biomass can be used as a feedstock for the production of chemicals and materials, including but not exclusive to pharmaceuticals, solvents, polymers and catalysts
- Developments have been made in the pre-treatment of biomass, facilitating down-stream processes in biorefineries
- Recent advances in greener chemical methods have been applied to processing of biomass right through to the manufacture of bio-derived products
- Biotechnology can also support the conversion of biomass to chemicals
- Carrying out chemistry on bio-derived chemicals and materials can differ from the current methods established for petrochemicals
- Assessments of the sustainability/greenness are being used to inform producers of bio-based chemicals as to best routes for the production of chemicals and materials
- Integration of processes and products can make biorefineries more economically viable
- The history of bio-based chemicals over the last 20 years has evolved
- Chemicals from biomass fit into the concept of a “Circular Economy”
Prof. James H Clark
Dr. Thomas J Farmer
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
- platform molecules
- green chemistry
- bio-based chemicals
- biomass to chemicals
- sustainable chemicals
- clean synthesis
- circular economy
- biomass pre-treatment