Biomass Group, Nanjing Agricultural University, PO Box 68, 40 Dianjiangtai Road, Nanjing 210031

Recently, Elsevier-Scopus  listed Prof. Zhen Fang in “Most Cited Chinese Researchers” in energy for 2015 again after 2014.
继2014年，方真研究员再次进入2015年“中国高被引学者”能源领域榜单（Elsevier-Scopus).
Prof. Zhen Fang (PhDs Eng., McGill; CAU); a researcher in bioenergy; inventor of “fast hydrolysis” process; Editor-in-Chief, Springer Book Series – Biofuels and Biorefineries; Associate Editor, Biotechnology for Biofuels (IF 6.2, Highest IF in Biofuels); and Editorial Advisory Board Members of Biofpr (Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, IF 4.3) and Energy, Sustainability and Society (a Springer open Journal).

2015年“中国高被引学者榜单”研究数据和技术分析基于全球最大的同行评议学术论文索引摘要数据库（Scopus数据库），该数据库收录来自全球超过5000个出版商、21000种期刊的5500余万条文献索引，覆盖各个学科，并提供各种工具用于追踪、分析和可视化学术研究，通过对客观引用数据的分析，对研究者在世界范围内的影响力进行系统的评价。此次榜单中，来自中国的社会科学、物理、化学、数学、经济等38学科的1744名最具世界影响力的中国学者入选。

（http://www.zuihaodaxue.com/Article.jsp?id=WzQpgBmjMtkbcp4LvpaLvG8oNQTgE8)

2014:

11.4%的中国科学院院士是高被引学者

3.7%的中国工程院院士是高被引学者

17.6%的长江学者特聘教授是高被引学者

18.1%的国家杰出青年科学基金获得者是高被引学者

Biomass group was evaluated as the best group for 2015

Recently, Biomass group was evaluated as best group of Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant

Resources and Sustainable Use of CAS for 2015, and excellent research group of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden for 2015.

Congratulations!
生物能源组被评为2015年优秀小组

最近，生物质组被评为2015年度中国科学院热带植物资源和可持续利用重点实验室的最佳小组，以及2015年度西双版纳热带植物园的优秀研究小组。

超顺磁酸碱双功能纳米ZrFeOx催化剂的合成及用以生产生物燃料

酸碱双功能纳米颗粒广泛用来合成生物燃料和高附加值的化学品。特别是磁性纳米金属氧化物，活性高可一锅法生产生物燃料，易于回收和重复利用。

生物能源组与贵州大学联合培养的博士生李虎在导师杨松教授和方真研究员的指导下，通过溶剂热处理和水解缩合的两步法合成酸碱双功能的超顺磁性纳米颗粒。合成的ZrFeOx纳米颗粒大约为12 nm, 中心为Fe₃O₄纳米颗粒(作为磁核)，其外面覆盖了一层0.65 nm厚的ZrO₂。ZrFeOx纳米颗粒具有分布良好的酸碱含量(0.39 vs. 0.28 mmol/g)，适度的表面积(181 m²/g)，孔径(9.8 nm)和较强的磁性(35.4 Am² kg⁻¹)。ZrFeOx纳米颗粒在乙醇中，进一步用来催化乙酰丙酸乙酯转换为γ戊内酯(GVL): 在230 ºC，反应3小时，GVL产率可高达87.2％。该纳米催化剂与固体酸HY2.6组合，可将糖直接转化为GVL，得到适中产率（约45％）。此外，磁性ZrFeOx纳米颗粒可很方便地由磁铁回收，可进行至少六次的重复利用。

祥情可见：

H Li, Zhen Fang*, S Yang, Direct Conversion of Sugars and Ethyl Levulinate into γ-Valerolactone with Superparamagnetic Acid-Base Bifunctional ZrFeOx Nanocatalysts, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 4(1), 236-246 (2016).
Synthesis of Superparamagnetic Acid−Base Bifunctional ZrFeOx Nanocatalyst for Biomass Conversion

Acid−base bifunctional nanocatalysts can directly on-pot produce biofuels and chemical from biomass. Particularly, some magnetic metal oxides that are active and recyclable.

Mr. Hu Li, a PhD student, co-supervised by Prof. Song Yang (Guizhou University) and Prof. Zhen FANG (Biomass Group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS) successfully synthesized bifunctional ZrFeOx nanocatalyst for biomass conversions.

In their work, acid-base bifunctional superparamagnetic FeZrO_x nanoparticles were synthesized via a two-step process of solvothermal treatment and hydrolysis-condensation, and were further employed to catalyze the conversion of ethyl levulinate (EL) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) using ethanol as both H-donor and solvent. ZrFeO(1:3)-300 nanoparticles (12.7 nm) with Fe₃O₄ core covered by ZrO₂ layer (0.65 nm thickness) having well- distributed acid-base sites (0.39 vs. 0.28 mmol/g), moderate surface area (181 m²/g), pore size (9.8 nm) and strong magnetism (35.4 Am² kg⁻¹) exhibited superior catalytic performance, giving a high GVL yield of 87.2% at 230 ºC in 3 h. The combination of the nanoparticles with solid acid HY2.6 promoted the direct transformation of sugars to produce GVL in moderate yield (around 45%). Moreover, the nanocatalyst was easily recovered by a magnet for six cycles with an average GVL yield of 83.9% from EL.

The study was published:

H Li, Zhen Fang*, S Yang, Direct Conversion of Sugars and Ethyl Levulinate into γ-Valerolactone with Superparamagnetic Acid-Base Bifunctional ZrFeOx Nanocatalysts, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 4(1), 236-246 (2016).

TEM images of ZrFeOx nanocatalyst

磁性镍锆纳米氧化物，高效催化生物质合成γ戊内酯（GVL）
γ戊内酯（GVL）已被确定为一种绿色的和可再生的溶剂，用以提高生物质转化和各种有机反应。它可作为液体燃料，香料和食物的添加剂。更重要的是，GVL可以用来合成汽油和柴油燃料（例如，C₈-C₁₈烷烃和2-甲基四氢呋喃）和高价值的化学物质（如1,4-戊二醇，甲基戊酸，离子液体和聚合物）。

生物能源组与贵州大学联合培养的博士生李虎在导师杨松教授和方真研究员的指导下，用共沉淀方法合成了一系列的混合氧化物纳米颗粒。研究发现，在不使用外部氢源的情况下，还原后的磁性镍 – 氧化锆纳米颗粒可直接高效转化生物质衍生物（如乙酰丙酸乙酯，果糖，葡萄糖，纤维二糖和羧甲基纤维素）为GVL。用磁性纳米颗粒Zr₅Ni₅（< 20纳米）作为催化剂，在200℃下反应3小时，最大GVL产率为95.2％。这些纳米催化剂具备酸碱二重性，对GVL的合成具有协同作用。 此外，磁性Zr₅Ni₅纳米颗粒可很方便地由磁铁回收，可进行至少五次的重复利用。

近日，文章“H Li, Zhen Fang*, S Yang, Direct Catalytic Transformation of Biomass Derivatives into Biofuel Component γ-Valerolactone with Magnetic NiZr Nanoparticles, 81, 135-142, (2016).” 在国际期刊《ChemPlusChem》发表:  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cplu.201500492/abstract
Converting biomass derivatives into biofuel component γ-valerolactone (GVL) with magnetic NiZr nanoparticles

γ-valerolactone (GVL) has been identified as a green and renewable solvent to improve the performance of biomass conversion and various organic reactions, and as an additive suitable for liquid fuels, perfumes and food. More importantly, GVL is able to be employed as a precursor to produce gasoline and diesel fuels (e.g., C₈−C₁₈ alkanes and 2-methyltetrahydrofurane) and valuable chemicals such as 1,4-pentanediol and methyl pentenoate, as well as ionic liquids and polymers.

Mr. Hu Li, a PhD student, co-supervised by Prof. Song Yang (Guizhou University) and Prof. Zhen FANG (Biomass Group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS) successfully synthesized g-valerolactone.

In their work, a series of mixed oxide nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation method and characterized by many techniques. NiZr oxide catalysts and their partially reduced magnetic counterparts were highly efficient in direct transformation of biomass derivatives including ethyl levulinate, fructose, glucose, cellobiose and carboxymethyl cellulose into GVL without using external hydrogen source, producing a maximum GVL yield of 95.2% at 200 ºC for 3 h with H₂ reduced magnetic Zr₅Ni₅ nanoparticles (< 20 nm). Acid-base bifunctionality of these nanocatalysts is found to play a synergic role in synthesis of GVL in alcohols, while appropriate control of Ni/Zr molar ratio is able to improve the selectivity towards GVL (~98%), along with high formation rates (up to 54.9 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). Moreover, the magnetic Zr₅Ni₅ nanoparticles were conveniently recovered by a magnet for five recycles with almost constant activity.

The study entitled “H Li, Zhen Fang*, S Yang, Direct Catalytic Transformation of Biomass Derivatives into Biofuel Component γ-Valerolactone with Magnetic NiZr Nanoparticles, 81, 135-142, (2016).” has been published in ChemPlusChem:  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cplu.201500492/abstract

 Magnetic nanoparticles: Acid-base bifunctional NiZr nanocatalysts with strong magnetism show high activity and reusability in transformation of biomass derivatives including EL, fructose, glucose, cellobiose and carboxymethyl cellulose into γ-valerolactone (GVL) with 95.2% yield and 98% selectivity.

New US Patent Issued for ‘Fast Hydrolysis’ of Biomass without Adding Catalyst

 According to USPTO Public PAIR, a U.S. patent #: 9243303 has been issued to Zhen Fang (Kunming, CN) for technology that provides a simple and low-cost method to fast dissolve and hydrolyze lignocellulosic biomass with great potential for a novel biorefinery.

The patent entitled “Method for the dissolving and rapid hydrolyzing of lignocellulose biomass, device thereof and use of the same” was issued on Jan. 26, 2016 for work done by Professor Zhen Fang, Leader and Founder of Biomass Group at Chinese Academy of Sciences. Professor Fang stated, “I am very excited to have been granted this new U.S. patent containing such claims that provide protection for ‘fast hydrolysis’ process.

In previous work, It was found that by adding 0.8 wt% Na₂CO₃, actual wood without pretreatment can be completely dissolved upon fast-heating (7~16°C/s) to form a ‘wood solution’ at 329-367 ^oC at short reaction times (0.7-2 s). The ‘wood solution’ can be rapidly (ca. 15 s) hydrolyzed to sugars/sugar oligomers under homogeneous conditions.

Recently, Prof. Fang found that without adding any cayalyst, by putting lignocellulose biomass in pure water and rapidly heated to 330~403 ^oC, and then 89~99% of the lignocellulose biomass is dissolved and rapidly hydrolyzed to saccharide in 3.38~21.79 s. The following hydrolysis reaction can be carried out under the homogeneous phase condition for the dissolving of the lignocellulose biomass. At the same time, the solvated biomass could be easily used in the high pressure flow reactor to continuously pretreat the biomass and hydrolyze for producing saccharide, other biofuel and product. The present invention doesn’t need any catalyst and doesn’t pollute the environment, furthermore the process is simple and the cost is low, and it belongs to green and sustainable industry, and a good prospect of market application could be taken on.

The patent is the latest development in a 23-year effort by Professor Zhen Fang in the study of biomass hydrolysis process, aimed at a simple, fast and low-cost method for a novel biorefinery. ‘Fast hydrolysis’ process will be the technological key to economic utilization of abundant lignocellulosic biomass as viable feedstocks for the production of industrial sugar, ethanol and chemicals. His pioneering work opens the door, for the first time, to the possibility of developing industrial-scale technology at competitive cost for producing biofuels and value-added products from lignocellulosic biomass based on the ‘fast hydrolysis’ process in a flow reactor.

This patent is the third US patent issued to Professor Fang adding to its portfolio of 19 authorized Chinese patents that cover various features of biorefinery technologies after his returning to China in 2007.

非催化快速水解技术获美国专利

方真研究员发现，将木材或纤维素置于碱性或酸性溶液中，然后再将得到的混合物与高温水溶液混合，并以一定的加热速率加热至一定的高温，则可以实现木材或纤维素的完全溶解和快速水解。以该实验结果为基础，方真研究员发明的快速水解技术获得两项美国专利（US patent#: 9115215；8268126）。

最近，方真研究员在进一步地深入研究后发现：在高压热水中，不经任何预处理，不加任何催化剂，只需几秒钟时间，99%的木材可以快速溶解并水解。他设计并发明了一项装置，可连续、快速、大规模地水解木材，使得此项发现实现工业化生产成为可能。这一发现和发明，打破了常规催化（酸碱或酶催化）水解的方法和观念，为快速（几秒内）、绿色（不用任何催化剂）和省能（不用任何预处理）地水解木材，提供了一种全新的方法和思路。并将为生物质水解、生物冶炼为生物能源和化学品等下游产业提出一个新的研究方法。

该发明“Method for the dissolving and rapid hydrolyzing of lignocellulose biomass, device thereof and use of the same”获美国专利(US patent#: 9243303; issue date: 01/26/2016)。

这是方真研究员自2007年初回国后，在中国获得的第三个关于快速水解的美国专利。