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Science 26 June 1981:
Vol. 212. no. 4502, pp. 1465 - 1471
DOI: 10.1126/science.212.4502.1465
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Articles

Chemicals from Biomass: Petrochemical Substitution Options

E. S. Lipinsky 1

1 Senior research leader at Battelle Columbus Laboratories, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201

As a source of chemicals, biomass has several intrnsic advantages over fossil mass: it is renewable, flexible through crop switching, and adaptable through genetic manipulation. Inflexibility of the fossil mass resource is compensated for by highly effective technology for production of olefins and aromatics, economies of scale, and a highly developed system of conversion products with large markets. Direct and indirect strategies to substitute for petrochemicals are based on ecological succession concepts. A proliferation of lignocellulosic fractionation processes is arising from the need for inexpensive, homogeneous, chemically useful biomass feedstocks.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Production of Feedstock Chemicals.
T. K. Ng, R. M. Busche, C. C. McDonald, and R. W. F. Hardy (1983)
Science 219, 733-740
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