Clark J.H., Budarin V.L., Breeden S.W.
Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, UK
Keywords: bio-based materials, mesoporous, starbons
Starches from a wide variety of sources and locations can be physically expanded giving high surface areas and mesoporosity. Heating these materials leads to a family of “Starbons” with tunable surface properties depending upon activation temperature. Materials with surface properties ranging from polar and hydrophilic to polarisable and hydrophobic can be prepared. The novel bio-based mesoporous materials have been manufactured on a commercial scale and are available in small quantities from Sigma-Aldrich. They show promise in a wide range of applications including the separation of natural products, the adsorption of organic compounds and metals, and as supports for catalysts that have an outstanding tolerance of water and can be used for the direct upgrading of fermentation broths to make high value bio-based chemicals.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: Technical Proceedings of the 2012 Clean Technology Conference and Trade Show
Published: June 18, 2012
Pages: 124 - 125
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Energy & Sustainability
Topic: Biofuels & Bioproducts
ISBN: 978-1-4665-6277-6