KIST researchers develop green solvent to boost biofuel production efficiency

In South Korea, a research team at the Clean Energy Research Center of Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) developed a green solvent that can completely replace conventional petrochemical-based solvents while maximizing the efficiency of biofuel production. The researchers announced that it is now possible to produce sustainable and economically secured biofuels.

After screening various solvent candidates, the KIST research team synthesized a green deep eutectic solvent that is also biocompatible with microorganisms during the fermentation process. The synthesized eutectic solvents were systematically analyzed by advanced nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and computational analysis. The ‘one-pot process’ based on the newly developed solvent maximized the production efficiency of high-purity biofuels and biochemicals by integrating three to four complex existing processes into one consolidated process. It was also announced that the one-pot process that uses environmentally friendly solvents is sustainable, does not emit pollutants, does not require washing water, and allows for the reuse of solvents.