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Processes
Special Issues
Integrated Biorefineries for Sustainable Production of Biofuel and Bioproducts
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Integrated Biorefineries for Sustainable Production of Biofuel and Bioproducts

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2025) | Viewed by 2758

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Deepak Kumar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
Interests: bio-based circular economy; modeling and multi-objective optimization of biological and chemical processes; techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ankita Juneja

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
Interests: circular bioeconomy; carbon capture and nutrient cycling; biofuels; biochemicals; biomaterials; hydrothermal technologies; process control for optimum process; microalgae cultivation and processing; fermentation; metabolic engineering
Dr. Anuj Kumar Chandel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena, University of São Paulo (EEL-USP), Lorena 12602-810, SP, Brazil
Interests: biotechnology; energy; fermentation; bioprocess engineering and fermentation technology; applied microbiology; environmental biotechnology; biochemical engineering; artificial intelligence; microbial biotechnology; dairy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Obste Therasme

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sustainable Resource Management Department, SUNY ESF, Syracuse, NY, USA
Interests: life cycle assessment; sustainable energy systems; sustainability; net zero/negative greenhouse gas emissions systems; biomass for biofuels; energy and bioproducts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lignocellulosic biomass, including agricultural and forestry residues, municipal waste, and by-products from agro-food processing, offers an abundant, renewable carbon source for biofuel and bioproduct production. When processed within a biorefinery, this diverse biomass can be fractionated to generate multiple products, thereby significantly improving process economics. Such an integrated approach not only increases profitability, but also advances sustainable production by optimizing resource use and minimizing waste, contributing to a circular bioeconomy.

This Special Issue invites original research articles that explore integrated biorefinery approaches designed to utilize multiple components of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and high-value bioproducts to maximize the value extracted from raw materials. We seek studies that provide experimental insights into biomass conversion techniques, including, but not limited to, thermal–chemical, biochemical, and catalytic processes for refining biomass fractions into diversified product portfolios. Additionally, we encourage sustainability-oriented research that conducts techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of integrated biorefinery systems.

Dr. Deepak Kumar
Dr. Ankita Juneja
Prof. Dr. Anuj Kumar Chandel
Dr. Obste Therasme
Guest Editors

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. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2400 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

  • integrated biorefinery
  • fermentation
  • lignin conversion
  • high-value bioproducts
  • biofuel
  • techno-economic analysis
  • life cycle assessment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1827 KiB  
Article
Hydrothermal Pretreatment Unlocks Waste Paper’s Sugar Potential: Enhanced Enzymatic Saccharification via Lignin Removal and Cellulose Decrystallization
by Hongzhi Ma, Pin Lv, Jian Yang, Yong Liang, Shuang Wu, Juncheng Song, Xiaobin Yang and Dayi Qian
Processes 2025, 13(7), 1994; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13071994 - 24 Jun 2025
Viewed by 386
Abstract
Waste paper, with its high cellulose and hemicellulose content, represents a promising bioresource for producing fermentable sugars in biorefining processes. In this study, five types of waste paper were analyzed for cellulose content, and tissue paper (TP), exhibiting the highest cellulose content, was [...] Read more.
Waste paper, with its high cellulose and hemicellulose content, represents a promising bioresource for producing fermentable sugars in biorefining processes. In this study, five types of waste paper were analyzed for cellulose content, and tissue paper (TP), exhibiting the highest cellulose content, was selected for hydrothermal pretreatment. Optimal pretreatment conditions were determined through single-factor experiments: 160 °C, water as the solvent, and a retention time of 50 min, corresponding to a severity factor (SF) of 3.47. Under these conditions, the reducing sugar yield from pretreated TP reached 0.61 g sugar/g paper, a 38.64% increase compared to untreated TP. The enhancement was attributed to lignin solubilization, disruption of crystalline cellulose regions, and increased specific surface area. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of hydrothermal pretreatment in improving the enzymatic digestibility of waste paper for biorefining applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Biorefineries for Sustainable Production of Biofuel and Bioproducts)
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14 pages, 2057 KiB  
Article
Catalytic Conversion of Coffee Waste Sugars and Xylose into Furfural over Fe/SiO2 Catalysts
by Kevin Suárez-Suárez, William Cortés-Ortiz and Carlos Guerrero-Fajardo
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1756; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061756 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 450
Abstract
Solid Fe catalysts supported on SiO2 with Lewis and Brönsted acidity were synthesized using sol–gel methodology. FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, BET isotherms, and SEM characterized the materials. Subsequently, they were used to dehydrate xylose to obtain furfural. It was observed that [...] Read more.
Solid Fe catalysts supported on SiO2 with Lewis and Brönsted acidity were synthesized using sol–gel methodology. FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, BET isotherms, and SEM characterized the materials. Subsequently, they were used to dehydrate xylose to obtain furfural. It was observed that increasing the metal loading from 0.5% to 1.5% by mass increases the selectivity of furfural up to 40.09%. In addition, the calcination temperature influenced the conversion because materials calcined at 450 °C presented higher xylose conversion than those calcined at 750 °C. Finally, the employed catalysts were active and effective in obtaining furfural from hydrolysates via hydrothermal treatments of a coffee crop’s residual biomass, producing an average of 9.11 mg/g of furfural per gram of biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Biorefineries for Sustainable Production of Biofuel and Bioproducts)
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Review

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34 pages, 763 KiB  
Review
Bio-Based Polyurethane Materials: Technical, Environmental, and Economic Insights
by Piumi Jayalath, Kalyani Ananthakrishnan, Soyeon Jeong, Reshma Panackal Shibu, Mairui Zhang, Deepak Kumar, Chang Geun Yoo, Julia L. Shamshina and Obste Therasme
Processes 2025, 13(5), 1591; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13051591 - 20 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1327
Abstract
Polyurethane (PU) is widely used due to its attractive properties, but the shift to a low-carbon economy necessitates alternative, renewable feedstocks for its production. This review examines the synthesis, properties, and sustainability of bio-based PU materials, focusing on renewable resources such as lignin, [...] Read more.
Polyurethane (PU) is widely used due to its attractive properties, but the shift to a low-carbon economy necessitates alternative, renewable feedstocks for its production. This review examines the synthesis, properties, and sustainability of bio-based PU materials, focusing on renewable resources such as lignin, vegetable oils, and polysaccharides. It discusses recent advances in bio-based polyols, their incorporation into PU formulations, and the use of bio-fillers like chitin and nanocellulose to improve mechanical, thermal, and biocompatibility properties. Despite promising material performance, challenges related to large-scale production, economic feasibility, and recycling technologies are highlighted. The paper also reviews life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, revealing the complex and context-dependent environmental benefits of bio-based PU materials. These studies indicate that while bio-based PU materials generally reduce greenhouse gas emissions and non-renewable energy use, their environmental performance varies depending on feedstock and formulation. The paper identifies key areas for future research, including improving biorefinery processes, optimizing crosslinker performance, and advancing recycling methods to unlock the full environmental and economic potential of bio-based PU in commercial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Biorefineries for Sustainable Production of Biofuel and Bioproducts)
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