Biomass

Chitin, the most abundant aminopolysaccharide, can be found in the exoskeleton of crustacean shells, a major waste product of the fishing industry. The water-soluble derivative of chitin, chitosan, acquired through a process of deacetylation affords derivatization and processability of this natural biopolymer. Traditionally, deacetylation processes utilizing harsh chemical conditions and high energy inputs limiting scalability and sustainable practices. Furthermore, these methods result in depolymerization, presenting low molecular weight fragments.

Supercapacitors, celebrated for their high power density and rapid charge-discharge capabilities, represent a promising solution to meet the increasing demand for sustainable energy storage systems. This research adopts a sustainable approach to develop green supercapacitors by leveraging biomass-derived materials for both electrodes and electrolytes, thereby aligning with global efforts toward green energy technologies and the circular economy.

The generation of organic wastes, such as sludge from wastewater treatment plants and food waste, is an inevitable byproduct of human activity. In line with the Federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 and the principles of Green Chemistry, waste that cannot be prevented or recycled must be managed in an environmentally sustainable manner. Conventional waste management methods, including incineration and landfilling, pose significant environmental risks, such as greenhouse gas emissions and soil and groundwater contamination.

The development of new lignin-based materials has become a very attractive alternative for researchers due to the particular properties that these can offer and their potential applications. Lignin is biosourced, abundant, biodegradable and renewable, for those reasons, it is an appealing feedstock from which to make materials for diverse applications in diverse fields. Lignin-based nanoparticles may offer properties and morphologies that differ from those of more conventional materials.

Use of lignocellulosic biomass in continuous processes in biorefineries poses challenges due to its recalcitrant properties, feedstock variability, and materials handling of solids at large scale. Limitations include lignin derived inhibitors, and resistance to mixing due to rheological properties of lignocellulosic particulates at high solids loadings.

Bio-oils are an attractive source of energy with many advantages over the
use of fossil fuels. However, bio-oils present corrosiveness, high viscosity and
low heating value associated with their high oxygen content. Therefore, before
its application as a transport fuel, it needs to be improved. In this sense,
catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is one of the most promising biofuel
upgrading processes. However, conventional catalysts for HDO based on Co-
Mo and Ni-Mo (both sulfidated) or noble metals, still have certain

The research group focuses on interdisciplinary studies aimed at advancing sustainable and innovative solutions in various industries. Valorization of Agro-industrial Residues: Developing methodologies to convert agro-industrial by-products into valuable resources, such as biofuels, bioplastics, and functional ingredients for the food and chemical industries. Biomass Utilization: Exploring the potential of biomass as a renewable resource for producing energy and chemical intermediates through efficient and environmentally friendly processes.

In addition to producing the world's fuels, oil is also the source of many value-added chemicals and pharmaceuticals that end up subsidizing fuel sales. In order to move away from oil, it is important to make these chemicals as well as fuels from alternative renewable sources such as woody biomass. Here we focus on the renewable production of the monomers for Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 from lignocellulosic materials through chemoenzymatic methods.