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Molecules
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From Biomass to High-Value Products: Processes and Applications
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From Biomass to High-Value Products: Processes and Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 790

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sung Phil Mun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Wood Science & Technology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea
Interests: lignin chemistry; carbohydrate chemistry; wood extractives; carbon nanomaterials; wood-based biocomposites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global trend toward sustainability has emphasized the importance of innovative solutions for critical problems in bioresource utilization, in particular, the conversion of biomass into high-value products.

This Special Issue, "From Biomass to High-Value Products: Processes and Applications", aims to highlight recent progress in biomass valorization through biological, chemical, and thermal strategies. This Special Issue is not limited to studies on biomass valorization, novel catalytic systems, lignin-first approaches, integrated biorefineries, green chemistry, and process engineering; it also welcomes research on related areas such as life cycle analysis and the real-world applications of biomass-derived products in the fields of materials science, energy, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.

By bringing together interdisciplinary research, this Special Issue seeks to promote an understanding of the challenges and opportunities in biomass valorization and to inspire innovative solutions that contribute to sustainability. Original research and review articles are welcome in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Sung Phil Mun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomass valorization
  • biorefineries
  • green chemistry
  • bio-based products
  • catalysis
  • thermochemical conversion
  • sustainable materials

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 6369 KB  
Article
Keggin Heteropolyacid Immobilized on Nanosilica as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for Sugar Dehydration in an Aqueous Medium
by Vincenzo Campisciano, Serena Lima, Giuseppe Marcì, Filippo Vitale, Maria Luisa Saladino, Francesco Giacalone and Elisa I. García-López
Molecules 2025, 30(20), 4097; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30204097 - 15 Oct 2025
Viewed by 190
Abstract
The dehydration of fructose and glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in water solution was carried out in the presence of functionalized heteropolyanion-based heterogeneous catalysts. Two catalysts were prepared by immobilizing the Keggin polyoxometalate H3PW12O40 (PW12) onto nanoSiO [...] Read more.
The dehydration of fructose and glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in water solution was carried out in the presence of functionalized heteropolyanion-based heterogeneous catalysts. Two catalysts were prepared by immobilizing the Keggin polyoxometalate H3PW12O40 (PW12) onto nanoSiO2 by the use of imidazoline and -SO3− surface species through acid–base reactions. The catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, XRD, TGA, FTIR, solid-state NMR, SEM, and acidity–basicity measurements. Catalytic reactions in batch conditions were performed at 165 °C in the presence of suspended catalysts, and the yield of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) was determined. The catalytic activity of the materials was tested for sugars at 1M concentration in a water solution. The valorization of sugars (fructose and glucose) was found to be more effective in the case of fructose. Furthermore, the two catalysts in which the heteropolyacid was immobilized showed activity similar to that observed for naked PW12 (reaction in homogeneous phase), despite the heterogeneous nature of the process, but with the advantage of easier separation at the end of the reaction by simple filtration. The material’s substantial stability was demonstrated through three consecutive catalytic test cycles, in which the same catalyst was recovered after each experiment and washed several times with hot water. Finally, tests devoted to the valorization of sugars contained in wastewater from the brewing industry provided a poor yield in 5-HMF, indicating that the catalysts prepared here were, unfortunately, not suitable for this transformation under the conditions tested. This was because the catalysts prepared in this work showed a low capacity to transform glucose (the most present sugar in the carbohydrate fraction of this biomass) into furans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Biomass to High-Value Products: Processes and Applications)
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17 pages, 1339 KB  
Article
Unmodified Plant and Waste Oils as Functional Additives in PU Flooring Adhesives: A Comparative Study
by Żaneta Ciastowicz, Renata Pamuła, Edyta Pęczek, Paweł Telega, Łukasz Bobak and Andrzej Białowiec
Molecules 2025, 30(18), 3780; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30183780 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 444
Abstract
This work compares reactive (castor) and non-reactive (rapeseed, sunflower, linseed, and used cooking) oils, each at a dosage of 10 wt%, when incorporated into an in-house two-component polyurethane (PU) parquet adhesive. A commercial market adhesive was tested only as an external benchmark and [...] Read more.
This work compares reactive (castor) and non-reactive (rapeseed, sunflower, linseed, and used cooking) oils, each at a dosage of 10 wt%, when incorporated into an in-house two-component polyurethane (PU) parquet adhesive. A commercial market adhesive was tested only as an external benchmark and was not modified. Mechanical properties were evaluated according to EN ISO 17178, inorganic leaching according to EN 12457-4, and volatile organics were screened by headspace GC–MS (not comparable to ISO 16000-9 chamber protocols). All in-house formulations met the EN ISO 17178 acceptance limits. The sunflower oil variant showed the highest shear strength, whereas rapeseed and castor oils provided stable tensile performance. HS-GC-MS did not yield high-confidence VOC identifications; therefore, no regulatory emission claim is made. The formulation with used cooking oil exhibited the largest variability and elevated leaching of Zn and Sb, underscoring the need for feedstock quality control. At 10 wt% loading, standard-compliant performance was obtained with both reactive and non-reactive oils, suggesting that physical modification can be sufficient, while castor oil may additionally react. In contrast to derivatized oils reported elsewhere, our approach employs unmodified oils, thereby avoiding extra reaction steps—such as epoxidation, hydroxylation, and transesterification—that typically increase the carbon footprint, while still meeting relevant standards. Full VOC chamber testing and LCA are beyond the scope of this study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Biomass to High-Value Products: Processes and Applications)
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