Liberation of fermentable sugars from soybean hull biomass using ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium acetate and their bioconversion to ethanol

Optimized hydrolysis of lignocellulosic waste biomass is essential to achieve the liberation of sugars to be used in fermentation process. Ionic liquids (ILs), a new class of solvents, have been tested in the pretreatment of cellulosic materials to improve the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of the biomass. Optimized application of ILs on biomass is important to advance the use of this technology. In this research, we investigated the effects of using 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium acetate ([bmim][Ac]) on the decomposition of soybean hull, an abundant cellulosic industrial waste. Reaction aspects of temperature, incubation time, IL concentration, and solid load were optimized before carrying out the enzymatic hydrolysis of this residue to liberate fermentable glucose. Optimal conditions were found to be 75°C, 165 min incubation time, 57% (mass fraction) of [bmim][Ac], and 12.5% solid loading. Pretreated soybean hull lost its crystallinity, which eased enzymatic hydrolysis, confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the biomass using an enzyme complex from Penicillium echinulatum liberated 92% of glucose from the cellulose matrix. The hydrolysate was free of any toxic compounds, such as hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural. The obtained hydrolysate was tested for fermentation using Candida shehatae HM 52.2, which was able to convert glucose to ethanol at yields of 0.31. These results suggest the possible use of ILs for the pretreatment of some lignocellulosic waste materials, avoiding the formation of toxic compounds, to be used in second‐generation ethanol production and other fermentation processes. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:312–320, 2016     

An Ultra‐Mechanosensitive Visco‐Poroelastic Polymer Ion Pump for Continuous Self‐Powering Kinematic Triboelectric Nanogenerators

A mechanosensitive, visco‐poroelastic polymer ion pump that can rapidly establish a dense electrical double layer via mechanical pressure, thereby significantly enhancing output performance of an ionic triboelectric nanogenerator (iTENG), is described. A working mechanism of an iTENG using a highly mechanosensitive, visco‐poroelastic ion pump is suggested and the optimal characteristics of the polymer ion pump are reported by investigating optical, mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical properties. Surprisingly, the pressure sensitivity of the iTENG reaches 23.3 V kPa^?1, which is tens of times the record value. To achieve controlled high‐frequency pulses from an iTENG, kinematic systems using a gear train and a cam are integrated with a single grounded iTENG, which produces a maximum of 600 V and 22 mA (≈2.2 W cm^?2) at an input frequency of 1.67 Hz; after power transforming, those values are converted to 1.42 V and 225 mA. A capacitor of 1 mF can be fully charged to 2 V in only 60 s, making it possible to continuously operate a wireless‐communicating self‐powered humidity sensor. Also, due to the high transparency and deformability of the polymer ion pump, a self‐powered transparent tactile sensor is successfully assembled using a 5 × 5 iTENG array.     

Uniform High Ionic Conducting Lithium Sulfide Protection Layer for Stable Lithium Metal Anode

Artificial solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) is one of the key approaches in addressing the low reversibility and dendritic growth problems of lithium metal anode, yet its current effect is still insufficient due to insufficient stability. Here, a new principle of “simultaneous high ionic conductivity and homogeneity” is proposed for stabilizing SEI and lithium metal anodes. Fabricated by a facile, environmentally friendly, and low‐cost lithium solid‐sulfur vapor reaction at elevated temperature, a designed lithium sulfide protective layer successfully maintains its protection function during cycling, which is confirmed by both simulations and experiments. Stable dendrite‐free cycling of lithium metal anode is realized even at a high areal capacity of 5 mAh cm^?2, and prototype Li–Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ cell with limited lithium also achieves 900 stable cycles. These findings give new insight into the ideal SEI composition and structure and provide new design strategies for stable lithium metal batteries.     

Crystal Structural Framework of Lithium Super‐Ionic Conductors

As technologically important materials for solid‐state batteries, Li super‐ionic conductors are a class of materials exhibiting exceptionally high ionic conductivity at room temperature. These materials have unique crystal structural frameworks hosting a highly conductive Li sublattice. However, it is not understood why certain crystal structures of the super‐ionic conductors lead to high conductivity in the Li sublattice. In this study, using topological analysis and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the crystal structures of all Li‐conducting oxides and sulfides are studied systematically and the key features pertaining to fast‐ion conduction are quantified. In particular, a unique feature of enlarged Li sites caused by large local spaces in the crystal structural framework is identified, promoting fast conduction in the Li‐ion sublattice. Based on these quantified features, the high‐throughput screening identifies many new structures as fast Li‐ion conductors, which are further confirmed by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. This study provides new insights and a systematic quantitative understanding of the crystal structural frameworks of fast ion‐conductor materials and motivates future experimental and computational studies on new fast‐ion conductors.     

人参皂苷单体定向转化的生物催化及应用进展

人参是我国传统中药,药效显著、应用广泛。通过定向修饰与转化人参皂苷糖基可产生高抗癌活性稀有人参皂苷。传统化学法由于制备工艺极其复杂、成本过高,不能应用于临床,微生物及其酶系转化成为解决该瓶颈问题的最可行手段。有关全细胞催化、糖苷酶重组表达、固定化及其催化分子识别机制和溶剂工程的生物转化已有大量综述报道,但尚无在人参皂苷转化应用中的系统研究。文中通过对人参皂苷单体生物转化理论和应用研究最新进展的回顾,结合目前广泛采用的生物催化方法的讨论,系统梳理归纳了能够改善产物专一性、提高催化效率,且具有工业应用前景的人参皂苷单体定向转化方法。基于酶分子设计以及离子液体溶剂工程,对人参皂苷单体抗癌药物和食品、保健品市场的开发、规模化制备进行了展望。     

长沙市不同污染程度区域桂花和香樟叶表面PM2.5吸附量及其影响因素

为阐释不同污染程度下城市绿化植物吸滞PM_2.5机理、解析污染物来源,应用气溶胶再发生器定量测定长沙市常见的2种园林绿化树种(桂花和香樟)植物叶片PM_2.5吸附量,同时应用原子力显微镜(AFM)观察了不同污染区(交通区、文教区、清洁区)植被的叶表面微形态特征,使用离子色谱仪测定样品中水溶性离子含量.结果表明: 污染程度与植物叶表面PM_2.5吸附量呈正相关,不同植物单位叶面积PM_2.5吸附量全年均值表现为交通区(0.56±0.04 μg·cm^-2)＞文教区(0.48±0.06 μg·cm^-2)＞清洁区(0.33±0.02 μg·cm^-2),植物单位叶面积PM_2.5吸附量季节变化为冬季(0.70±0.10 μg·cm^-2)＞春季(0.43±0.14 μg·cm^-2)＞秋季(0.39±0.12 μg·cm^-2)＞夏季(0.31±0.09 μg·cm^-2),桂花的单位叶面积PM_2.5吸附量大于香樟;污染程度轻的区域的植物叶片比较光滑,污染程度重的区域的叶片较粗糙,植物粗糙度排序为交通区(195.45±16.09 nm)＞文教区(176.99±8.45 nm)＞清洁区(131.88±12.98 nm);不同污染程度地区PM_2.5离子含量均表现为冬季最大,其次是春季和秋季,夏季最低;3个污染区PM_2.5离子成分均以Na⁺、NH₄⁺、Cl^-和Br^-这4种离子为主,不同程度污染区PM_2.5污染均以移动源污染为主.     

南极假丝酵母脂肪酶B在离子液体/超临界流体体系中的稳定性模拟

脂肪酶在离子液体/超临界流体体系中的结构稳定性是影响其活性的重要因素。本文采用分子动力学方法分别研究了南极假丝酵母脂肪酶B(CALB)在离子液体CYPHOS IL-201/极性超临界流体CHF_3两相体系和离子液体CYPHOS IL-201/非极性超临界流体CO_2两相体系中的结构稳定性,揭示影响CALB结构稳定性的因素。研究结果表明,在超临界CHF_3中,CHF_3破坏蛋白维持α螺旋结构的氢键是蛋白结构不稳定的主要原因;在超临界CO_2中,CALB蛋白的结构紧密性降低,有序二级结构发生了变化,导致稳定性下降。离子液体和两种超临界流体均形成了两相体系,蛋白处于离子液体相中,离子液体不溶于超临界流体,但超临界流体部分进入离子液体相,降低了离子液体相的黏度。其中,相比于CYPHOS IL-201/CO_2体系,CYPHOS IL-201/CHF_3体系的黏度降低多。在离子液体CYPHOS IL-201与超临界流体(CHF_3、CO_2)形成的两相体系中,离子液体CYPHOS IL-201具有保护蛋白结构的作用,使CALB蛋白结构更加稳定。     

Recent Advances of Using Ionic Liquids for Biopolymer Extraction and Processing

The evolution of petroleum‐derived polymers is one of the crowning accomplishments of the past century. Although the significant economic gains from this industrial model of resource utilization are achieved, the environmental impacts are fatal. One of the principles of sustainable development is to replace such polymers with potential alternatives derived from renewable materials. Biopolymers derived from natural resources afford a new, versatile, environmentally benign feedstock that could exhibit closed‐loop life cycles as part of a future material's industrial ecology. However, the solubility and processability of biopolymer materials provoke a serious bottleneck owing to their dense networks of inter ‐ and intramolecular bondings and structural heterogeneity. Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as promising green solvents and acquired augmented appreciation for their peerless power of biopolymer processing. Among the fourteen principle of green chemistry, the two key elements encourage the exploitation of renewable raw materials by using environmentally benign solvents that cover in dissolution of biopolymers using ILs. This mini review represents a brief overview of the comprehensive ILs assisted extraction and processing of various biopolymeric materials for value‐added applications.