High-Efficiency Microalgae Biofuel Harvest and Extraction Using Ionic Liquids

Biofuel production via microalgal systems has several competitive advantages over other feedstocks: (1) it does not involve the use of food crops, (2) it can be carried out on non-productive land, (3) it does not consume sources of potable water, and (4) it can be part of a strategy to sequester carbon dioxide produced by power and industrial plants. However, the process is very complex and the energy input required for algae harvesting and lipid extraction is very large. This project will develop a greatly simplified harvest and extraction process based on ionic liquids, a new class of materials with exquisite tunability for dissolution and separation. The process will be much less expensive to operate, will deliver higher yields, and will increase the competitiveness of algae-based biofuels in the market. Phase I will demonstrate the efficient lysis of microalgae cells and the subsequent separation of their high-energy lipids using ionic liquids. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee:The technology should benefit consumers of liquid fuels by contributing to increasedproduction of biofuels at lower pump costs, without the use of food stocks and related cost increases. Because the use of algae directly contributes to carbon sequestration, the technology should help reduce the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide