This contribution illustrates the synthesis of nitrogen-containing hydrothermal carbon particles from a mixture of glucose, as carbon source, and different types of proteins, as nitrogen sources. Casein, ovalbumin, hemoglobin and gelatin were chosen here as model compounds. The particle size and the level of structural order could be tuned according to the protein type and the amount utilized.

Formation of carbon nanospheres is typically relegated to two costly methods. Chemical vapor deposition produces uniform spheres safely anchored to a substrate but at the cost of being slow and expensive to run. Arc discharge of a carbon target produces soot containing a low density of random spheres that must be laboriously sorted. An alternative approach is to fabricate carbon nanospheres through the pyrolysis of organic feedstock. This paper presents the findings from an investigation into using pectin as a pre-cursor material for pyrolysis. The pectin is combined with different saccharides - sucrose, dextrose, and fructose and processed in aqueous solution until a gel set. The gel is then thermally processed in a nitrogen environment at 500 °C. The resultant carbon material is examined under SEM. Images confirm the formation of nanospheres and other microscale and nanoscale structures. The pectin, a naturally derived product from plant materials, is a renewable source of materials which can be used to form nanotechnologies for many energy-related applications.

Rice straw is among the most abundant herbaceous biomass, and regarded as the central feedstock for bioethanol production in Japan. We found that significant amounts of soft carbohydrates (SCs), defined as carbohydrates readily recoverable by mere extraction from the biomass or brief enzymatic saccharification, exist in rice straw in the form of free glucose, free fructose, sucrose, starch, and β-1,3-1,4-glucan. Based on the finding, we proposed a simple method for bioethanol production from rice straw samples with SCs, by a heat treatment for sterilization and starch gelatinization, followed by simultaneous saccharification/fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This method would offer an efficient process for bioethanol production without the aid of harsh thermo/chemical pretreatment step.

The comparison between bentonite-alginate beads and bentonite-alginate films in Cd(II) removal from aqueous solution was investigated. The experimental Cd(II) adsorption data were fitted to adsorption isotherm and kinetic models. Results showed that both bentonite-alginate film and beads were fitted better to the Langmuir isotherm model, the calculated saturation adsorption capacity for bentonite-alginate film was 59.9 mg/g as compared to 17.9 mg/g for the beads. The kinetic studies indicated that both samples followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic. The bentonite- alginate film showed higher adsorption capacity, rate constant as well as initial adsorption rate. This investigation showed that the adsorption behavior of both samples, in terms of adsorption isotherm and kinetic models, did not deviate significantly. The bentonite-alginate film has better performance in Cd(II) removal, attributed to the larger surface area which is exposed to the Cd(II) solution.

This work is devoted to a study of the conformational properties of alanine dipeptide. We have studied potential energy surfaces of alanine dipeptide molecule using density functional theoretical approach with 6-311G basis set. For this purpose potential energies of this molecule are calculated as a function of Ramachandran angles φ and ψ, which are important factors for the characterizations of polypeptide chains. These degrees of freedoms φ and ψ are important for the characterization of protein folding systems. Stable conformations, energy barriers and reaction coordinates of this important dipeptide molecule are calculated. Energy required for the transition of one conformation into other are also discussed.

A polymeric chelating ligand containing hydroxamic acid and amidoxime functional groups were prepared from acrylate polymer grafted acacia cellulose and this ligand was introduced to remove heavy metals from industrial wastewaters. The heavy metals binding property with this ligand is excellent up to 3.78 mmol/ g sorbent and the rate of exchange of some metals was very fast i.e. t½ ≈ 6 min (average). Two types of wastewater from electroplating plants used in this study those containing chromium, zinc, nickel, copper and iron etc. Before removing heavy metals from wastewater, pH was adjusted to 4 and various metal concentrations were used for finding the extraction capability of the ligand. It was found that the metals recovery was highly efficient, up to 99.99% of several heavy metals were removed from electroplating wastewater using the ligands. Therefore, the proposed polymeric chelating ligands could be used to the remove such heavy metals from industrial wastewater and as well as effective ligands for environment protection.

Processes of biodegradable molded products were developed. However, to make commercial products to adapted each purpose is still under going. So, this time, to improve the molded products properties, we tested to blend with PLA (polylactic acid) or PBSA (Poly butylenes succinate adipate) into CGM(Corn gluten meal) based agro by-products ingredient.

Molded samples were able to make from all tested material and each sample had each physical properties. Finally, we selected suitable condition for practical field test of Large Sapling Pot for Persimmon saplings. Such application will be addressed in our talk and general situation of biodegradable products by biomass resources in Japan will be also introduced.

Worldwide attention has now focused on bioethanol production to combat global warming and to safeguard global energy. Lignocelluloses are expected to be utilized in future as fuel ethanol production because of competition between food and fuel production. One of the major problems in producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is high production cost and consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) is gaining recognition as a potential breakthrough for low-cost biomass processing. Basidiomycetes appear suitable for use in CBP because they can achieve the both events of lignocellulose breakdown and ethanol fermentation. We are developing CBP bioethanol production by using Flammulina velutipes from sorghums. It turns out the relationship between varietal characteristics of sorghums and ethanol conversion properties of F. velutipes, and the direction should be performed in the future became clear.

In this research, cellulose micro-crystals (CMC) were used to reinforce a bio-polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL). Mechanical properties were tested using nanoindentation. Electron microscopy imaging and a new technique called x-ray ultra microscopy and microtomography (XuM) were used to investigate the distribution of the filler in the matrix. We could demonstrate a clear correlation between the spatial distribution of CMC-PCL composites and their nanomechanical properties.

Production of biodiesel fuel (fatty acid methyl ester) by use of conventional method (alkaline catalyst method) requires deacidification process prior to the reaction and refining process to remove the catalyst after the reaction. These processes increase total cost required for production of biodiesel fuel. In order to solve the problem, authors recently proposed a method called superheated methanol vapor method. In a process with this method, superheated methanol vapor is continuously bubbled into the oil in the reactor vessel and reacted with triglycerides to form fatty acid methyl ester and glycerol. The fatty acid methyl ester and glycerol formed flows out of the reactor together with unreacted methanol vapor and is collected using a condenser. Reaction using the superheated methanol vapor method can be conducted at atmospheric pressure. Production of fatty acid methyl ester by use of the superheated methanol vapor method does not require refining process after the reaction because no catalyst is used in this method and fatty acid methyl ester can be separated from glycerol simply by sedimentation. The method does not require deacidification process prior to the reaction because not only triglyceride but also free fatty acid can be converted into fatty acid methyl ester by use of the method. Therefore, both initial and running costs required for biodiesel production are thought to be reduced by applying the method. In order to estimate the cost required by a process based on the superheated methanol vapor method, a demonstration plant (design productivity: 400 L/d) was constructed and its efficiency was evaluated. The plant could produce 425 L of fatty acid methyl ester in a day from used frying oil. Energy consumed in each unit of the demonstration plant was measured (electrical energy and thermal energy). Based on the energy consumption data obtained with the demonstration plant, production cost required with a practical scale plant (designed productivity: 6000 kL/y) was calculated. The cost required by the practical scale plant with the superheated methanol vapor method was estimated to be 40.2 yen/L (about 40 cent/L) while the cost required by a plant with the alkaline catalyst method was 62.5 yen/L (about 62 cent/L). The estimated cost includes depreciation cost, cost of repairing, labor cost, methanol cost and energy cost (heat and electricity). Most of the energy consumed by the plant was thermal energy and the plant could be automatically controlled. Therefore, required cost will be further decreased by installing the plant next to an incineration facility because thermal energy can be supplied from the facility and the labor cost can also be supported by the facility.