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

  Wood is mainly composed of lignin (20%), cellulose (50%) and hemicellulose (25%). These components can be catalytic hydrolyzed into their corresponding monomers by conventional enzymes or liquid acids. Among them, cellulose and hemicellulose are hydrolyzed into sugars, such as glucose. Recently, Professor Zhen Fang (http://brg.groups.xtbg.ac.cn/) found that wood could be quickly dissolved and hydrolyzed to sugars in high temperature water within several seconds. Then, the sugars were degraded into compounds with different colors, which would be subsequently converted into nano-particles through polymerization and carbonization at high temperature. By quenching the ongoing reaction solutions at different temperature and different time, various dyes and carbon nano-particles were obtained. These dyes could be used in food, painting, printing and textile industries, while carbon nano-particles could be applied to prepare explosives, composite materials, fertilizers, catalyst carriers, adsorbing materials, etc. In this study, the pathways and mechanism of glucose decomposition in high-pressure hot water under homogeneous condition were proposed. Based on the research, special products could be expected and obtained under certain conditions. （更多…）

  In February 2011, biomass group (http://brg.groups.xtbg.ac.cn/) in XTBG, CAS reported their new progress on Jatropha biodiesel production. Results were published in the international journal “Bioresource Technology” (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.02.079), and filed a Chinese invention patent. （更多…）

 In April 2011, biomass group (http://brg.groups.xtbg.ac.cn/) in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), CAS reported their new progress in biodiesel production and conversion of by-product glycerol to high-value-added products. Related results were published in the international journal “Bioresource Technology” (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.04.007), and filed a patent. （更多…）

丰富的生物质资源是将来燃料和化学品持续供应的有前景的选择。在许多可能的生物基化学品中，5-羟甲基糠醛（5-HMF）是精细化工、医药及呋喃高分子材料的有价值的中间底物，可以通过Dials-Alder、烷基化、酰基化、加氢、酯化、卤化、聚合、氧化等一系列化学反应制备多种具有高附加值的衍生物，如PET 的塑料、柴油燃料或其他化工衍生产品，被称之为该领域“沉睡的巨人”。 （更多…）

Renewable biomass is an ideal alternative for fossil resources to supply sustainable raw material for the production of biofuels and chemicals. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is one of the top building-block chemicals from biomass according to the “Top Value Added Chemicals” proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy.It can be produced from hexoses, inulin, wood and other lignocellulosic biomass with catalysts. 5-HMF can be further converted into biochemicals and biofuels, such as PET plastics, 2,5-dimethylfuran and other liquid alkanes that can be used as transportation fuel. （更多…）