IIT Mandi team uses orange-peel derived hydrochar to convert biomass-derived chemicals into biofuel precursors

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi researchers have used hydrochar derived from orange peels as a catalyst to convert biomass-derived chemicals into biofuel precursors. The research will help to develop biomass-based fuel to overcome the socio-political instabilities associated with dwindling petroleum reserves.

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The researchers heated dried orange peel powder with citric acid under pressure in a hydrothermal reactor (a lab-level “pressure cooker”) for many hours. The hydrochar that was produced was then treated with other chemicals to introduce acidic sulfonic, phosphate and nitrate functional groups to it.

The research was led by Dr Venkata Krishnan, Associate Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi, and co-authored by his students Tripti Chhabra and Prachi Dwivedi. The findings of the research team have been recently published in the journal ‘Green Chemistry’.

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Talking about the research, Krishnan, said, “One of the driving interests among the renewable energy community is the development of relatively clean and energy efficient processes to convert biomass into useful chemicals, including fuel.

“We were able to synthesize the biofuel precursors under solventless and low temperature conditions, which decreases the overall cost of the process and also makes it environment friendly, attractive from an industry point of view,” he added.

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“We used these three types of catalyst to bring about hydroxyalkylation alkylation (HAA) reactions between 2-methylfuran and furfural, compounds that are derived from lignocellulose, to produce fuel precursors,” explained Chhabra.

Biomass derived products from naturally occurring materials are currently the fourth most significant energy sources that can meet the energy demand after coal, oil, and natural gas, in the country, said the IIT Mandi statement.