Cellulosic Ethanol
It is a type of biofuel produced from lignocellulose, a structural material that comprises much of the mass of plants. Lignocellulose is composed mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Corn stover, Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Miscanthus grass species, wood chips and the byproducts of lawn and tree maintenance are some of the more popular cellulosic materials for ethanol production. Production of ethanol from lignocellulose has the advantage of abundant and diverse raw material compared to sources such as corn and cane sugars, but requires a greater amount of processing to make the sugar monomers available to the microorganisms typically used to produce ethanol by fermentation.
Some benefits of ethanol are:
- It is a renewable fuel made from plants
- Burning it does not increase the greenhouse effect
- High octane at low costs
- Gasohol mixtures can be used in almost all engines without modifications
- Biodegradable
- Reduces exhaust emissions
- Reduces carbon monoxide
- Replaces lead as an octane enhancer in gasoline
- Good for anti-freeze products because of low freezing temperature
- Use in thermometers for temperatures colder then –40 degrees Celsius
- Easily soluble in water in all proportions
- Pure ethanol is a good solute itself
- Can be used as a disinfectant
- Kills bacteria by denaturing proteins an dissolves lipids
- Alcohol can sit for many years and not go bad
- Very flammable, produce enough energy to move a car
