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Program Code: BB Name: Wood Utilization Proposal Number: 2009-03973
The overall goal of this collaborative project is the development of sustainable and environmentally-friendly solutions to national energy and materials needs via enhanced utilization of woody biomass. The research is anticipated to have a significant impact in providing scientific and technical support for the conversion of biomass into bio-based products, such as biofuels and biocomposites in the state of Maine, as well as nationally.
Research from prior University of Maine Wood Utilization Research (WUR) grants has already resulted in the efforts ranging from the development of new types of stronger wood structural composites using underutilized wood species, to the development of new ways to prevent pollution and waste. Based on one example from our prior WUR research, a forest products company in Maine has invested $600,000 on an “oxygen delignification” system for use in pulping wood to make paper. This has resulted in reduced operating costs, a reduction in the mill’s overall pollution load, and a stabilization of employment in the region because of the greater viability of the mill. In another example of the benefits of the WUR research at the University of Maine, data was provided to help 17 northeastern mills to meet EPA mandates for pollutant emission, resulting in a savings of about $35,000 per mill.
The specific research objective that this research falls under is to improve the utilization of timber in the United States, and specifically, the utilization of timber resources in the northeastern United States. Because of the energy crisis facing the United States, improving the utilization of our forests, particularly as it relates to the conservation of energy and the production of bio-based products, is critical at this time. This research is also important because wood is one of the few natural resources that we produce in the United States for structural purposes and our research focuses not just on ways to make better products from wood, but on products that are produced in a sustainable manner.
All research proposed has been peer reviewed by respected, independent, scientists and engineers at other institutions and changes and revisions to the proposed research have been made in accordance with the review process. In addition, the University of Maine maintains a Peer Review process to measure the performance of the individual scientists and engineers conducting the research outlined in this proposal. The peer guidelines stress the importance of publishing in peer-reviewed journals to reach the widest possible public audience. All research outlined in this proposal will be completed within the three-year period of the grant.
This research is broken out into 7 important research areas that will provide national benefits and also specific benefits to the northeast region. A summary of the 7 research areas follows:
Woody Biomass as a Source of High-Value Products The objective of this research is to develop technologies to convert underutilized or unutilized woody biomass to high-value materials. Scalable methods will be developed to isolate and purify shikimic acid, the major precursor for Tamiflu®, from conifer needles. Pilot scale process will be optimized using the facilities at the University of Maine. In addition, wood, bark, and foliage of important northeastern species will be studied for production of phytosterils, compounds that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as food supplements to improve cardiovascular health.
Development of Wood-Composite Roofing Panel System The proposed research will focus on the development of prefabricated wood composite roof panels (WCRPs) that incorporate structural framing, exterior sheathing, insulation and ventilation into one single product. The structural capacity of the panels is provided by I-joist webs adhered and mechanically fastened to the top and bottom sheets of oriented strand board (OSB). In this research, the strength, stiffness, and creep response of the WCRPs will be quantified and predictive models of panel strength and stiffness will be developed. The models will be used as design guidelines for WCRPs to be used at different load conditions. The construction costs of WCRP systems will be determined and compared with conventional wood-framed roofing system to assess their commercialization potenrial.
Study on a Carrier System for Cellulose Nanofibrils in Thermoplastic Composites Cellulose nanofibrils are one of the strongest natural materials and have great potential for the reinforcement of thermoplastics. However, cellulose nanofibrils cannot be directly added to thermoplastic melts during conventional thermal compounding because of the agglomeration of cellulose nanofibrils. The incompatibility between a water suspension of the cellulose nanofibril and common thermoplastic systems causes another practical issue. In this study, a cellulose nanofibril-starch carrier system will be developed to prevent agglomeration of nanofibrils and to create compatibility between the nanofibril and thermoplastic matrix. Improvement of strength and stiffness of the composites are expected using the proposed carrier system.
Production of Biofuels from Lignocellulosic Materials via Algal and Bacterial Fermentation America’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy has required that the nation confront two major challenges: dependence on foreign oil and global climate change. The US government has made significant changes in its energy policy recently to encourage the production of renewable and alternative fuels from non-food biomass. The biofuel industry based on staple crops such as corn has been a subject of debate and sustainable production of biofuels, other than ethanol, from biomass will more likely move toward cellulosic biomass. In this research area, we will focus on production of biohydrogen and biodiesel via respectively bacteria and algal fermentations of carbohydrates derived from cellulosic biomass. If successful, bench-scale production of biofuels will be achieved at the end of this project.
Molecular and Biochemical Investigations of Wood Biodegradation The mechanisms involved in fungal biodegradation of wood have been studied intensively for many years due to their relevance to both preservation of in-service wood and to the utilization of biological processes for the development of novel natural resource-based products. The purpose of this work is to enhance our knowledge of the mechanisms and processes involved in the degradation and biomodification of wood. The following three aspects will be investigated: 1) Molecular and biochemical analysis of oxalic acid production by brown rot fungi and the role of oxalate in biodegradation; 2) Analysis of microbial communities associated with wood attacking insects and the effects of insect/fungal relationships on wood durability and bioprocessing potential; 3) Characterization of substrate modifications and chemical changes in wood cellulose following biological degradation and modification. Completion of these studies will help us to control biodegradation in a specific and environmentally appropriate manner, and also to utilize microbes in the biomodification of lignocellulose for industrial processes and the creation of value-added products.
The Potential for Slag and Corrosion in Residential Pellet Stoves Burning Pellets Manufactured From Northeastern Species Cold winters and the escalating prices of fuels for residential heating have caused huge increases in the production and use of wood pellets in the Northeastern United States. Further, and beyond economics, the advantages of burning pellets for fuel have been well documented, including high firing efficiencies, low CO2 and NOx emissions and a favorable life-cycle assessment for wood based fuels. Potential problems with residential pellet stoves related to ash and other problems have been partially addressed in Europe where the use of pellet stoves is widespread. However, other problems exist and they are not well characterized for the Northeastern species coming into use as feedstock for pellets. Among those problems are the heavy metals content of the ash, the potential for clinker and slag formation and the corrosive nature of the alkali metals and chlorine released during high temperature firing in modern pellet stoves. To investigate those issues, the following specific objectives have been formed for this research: 1) Assess the seasonal and regional variability of metals and slag forming minerals in wood pellets made in the Northeastern US; 2) Assess the levels of corrosives, by season and region, in pellets made from Northeastern species; 3) Assess the prevalence of slag and corrosion problems from residential pellet stoves in the Northeastern United States.
Steam Injection Pressing of Extracted Wood Strands Hot water extraction efficiently removes hemicelluloses from lignocellulosic biomass. When the process is incorporated into strand-based wood composites production, it will create a carbohydrate feedstock for biofuel production, as well as strands for production of composite panels. The objective of this research is to determine the influence of hot water extraction on the performance of strand-based wood composites consolidated using a steam injection press. Specifically, we will asses how extraction level impacts the physical and mechanical properties of aspen OSB at three densities, so that optimization of process conditions can be performed. The relationship between extraction severity and weight loss will be studied as well to determine if a model can be established between the two factors.
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