Grantee Research Project Results
2013 Progress Report: Valuable Chemicals from Rice Husk Biomass
EPA Grant Number: SU835292Title: Valuable Chemicals from Rice Husk Biomass
Investigators: Sun, Luyi , Wang, Weixing , DeBord, Katelyn , Martin, Jarett , Oliphant, Adam , Huang, Wenxi , Chen, Haoran , Yarbrough, Braylon , Lee, Kaitlynn , Doerr, Paige , Turner, Raheim , Fedge, Matthew , Glinski, Vitold , Gifford, Daniel , Chen, Caixing , Huang, Zhan , Tan, Zhuyan , Lin, Pinzhen
Current Investigators: Sun, Luyi , Wang, Weixing , DeBord, Katelyn , Martin, Jarett , Oliphant, Adam , Huang, Wenxi , Chen, Haoran , Yarbrough, Braylon , Lee, Kaitlynn , Doerr, Paige , Turner, Raheim , Glinski, Vitold , Gifford, Daniel , Chen, Caixing , Huang, Zhan , Tan, Zhuyan , Lin, Pinzhen
Institution: Texas State University , South China University of Technology
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: II
Project Period: August 15, 2012 through August 14, 2014
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 15, 2012 through August 14,2013
Project Amount: $90,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet - Phase 2 (2012) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The goal of this project is to develop a novel technology to extract both lignocellulose and nano-silica from waste rice husks. It is planned to conduct process optimization, process simulation, and economic evaluation, which in turn should help significantly minimize pollution and costs associated with the current disposal of rice husks and provide starting materials for biofuels and other products.
Progress Summary:
We have successfully developed an ionic liquid extraction approach to obtain both lignocellulose and silica nanoparticles from rice husk biowaste. The recovered lignocellulose can be used for biofuel and prepare bio-based surfactants. The silica nanoparticles from rice husks have been successfully converted to organo-silicon compounds, which can be subsequently used to synthesize various silicon containing materials. The silica nanoparticles can also be further converted to elemental silicon for various applications such as battery electrodes. Both process simulation and economic evaluation are underway. One of the student members has won several business project awards based on this project, and plans to set up a small business in the near future to commercialize this technology.
Future Activities:
Our research results so far have shown that rice husk biowaste can be converted to two valuable materials, lignocellulose and silica nanoparticles, as proposed. More detailed investigation is ongoing to optimize the process and further lowering the cost to eventually commercialize the process.
Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 13 publications | 4 publications in selected types | All 4 journal articles |
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Chen H, Wang W, Martin JC, Oliphant AJ, Doerr PA, Xu JF, DeBorn KM, Chen C, Sun L. Extraction of lignocellulose and synthesis of porous silica nanoparticles from rice husks:a comprehensive utilization of rice husk biomass. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2013;1(2):254-259. |
SU835292 (2013) |
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Wang W, Huang Z, Chen H, Tan Z, Chen C, Sun L. Methane hydrates with a high capacity and a high formation rate promoted by biosurfactants. Chemical Communications 2012;48(95):11638-11640. |
SU835292 (2013) |
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Wang W, Martin JC, Huang R, Huang W, Liu A, Han A, Sun L. Synthesis of silicon complexes from rice husk derived silica nanoparticles. Rsc Advances 2012;2(24):9036-9041. |
SU835292 (2013) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Rice husk, silica, lignocellulose, biowaste, environmentProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractP3 Phase I:
Extracting Lignocellulose and Synthesizing Silica Nanoparticles from Rice Husks | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.