The effect of mixing and consistency on cellulose cationization.

Traditional chemical modifications of cellulose are usually done at low or medium consistencies. Processing at high solids content is expected to provide a leap forward in reduction of manufacturing costs such as minimization of chemical use, energy consumption and decreasing processing equipment size, while at the same time increasing reaction efficiency. In this research, high consistency modifications of cellulose were studied through cationization reaction.

Conversion of polar and non-polar algae oil lipids to fatty acid methyl esters with solid acid catalysts--A model compound study.

Bio-based fuels are becoming more and more important due to the depleting fossil resources. The production of biodiesel from algae oil is challenging compared to terrestrial vegetable oils, as algae oil consists of polar fatty acids, such as phospholipids and glycolipids, as well as non-polar triglycerides and free fatty acids common in vegetable oils. It is shown that a single sulphonated solid acid catalyst can perform the esterification and transesterification reactions of both polar and non-polar lipids.