SBIR Phase I: Step-Out Process for Producing Bio-Gasoline

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research provides a clean and efficient route to bio-gasoline made from cellulosic materials. This technology will reduce dependence on foreign oil and decrease net carbon emissions by converting unused agricultural wastes and grasses to bio-gasoline. The method is safe and environmentally friendly. Enzymatic fermentation is eschewed in favor of a faster and cheaper chemical route, and liquid acid catalysts are replaced by cleaner alternatives. The proposal seeks to develop a novel catalyst to allow cellulose hydrosylate to be converted into oxygenated hydrocarbons useable as gasoline blending agents. Such a process would be significantly more efficient than cellulosic ethanol production due to greater efficiency in the conversion of cellulose to fuel and eliminating the cost and time required for biological and enzymatic conversions. The broader impact of this research would be to lead to a process enabling the direct conversion of biomass into a gasoline substitute. Production of tens of billions of gallons of this motor fuel could be produced every year, creating economic opportunities for farmers, producers, and providing the public with a more stable and secure source of motor fuel. This project also offers new scientific developments in the areas of catalysis and the processing of biomaterials.