ORNL: Unlocking lignin for sustainable biofuel

Description:
Turning trees, grass, and other biomass into fuel for automobiles and airplanes is a costly and complex process. Biofuel researchers are working to change that, envisioning a future where cellulosic ethanol, an alcohol derived from plant sugars, is as common and affordable at the gas station as gasoline. The key to making this vision a reality? Unraveling the tightly wound network of molecules—cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—that make up the cell wall of plants for easier biofuel processing.

Web Location:
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/12149/ornl-unlocking-lignin-for-sustainable-biofuel