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UW Madison chemists discover new way to harness energy from ammonia

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A research team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has identified a new way to convert ammonia to nitrogen gas through a process that could be a step toward ammonia replacing carbon-based fuels. For a fuel cell, we want an electrical output, not input. This is the first process, as far as we know, to do that.

Energy 418
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University of Wisconsin seeking commercial partners for alkylphenol solvent-based method to convert biomass into furan derivatives for fuels and chemicals

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The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners for a novel, cost-effective method developed by University of Wisconsin, Madison researchers for producing furan derivatives such as hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, levulinic acid (LA) or γ-valerolactone (GVL) from biomass using alkylphenols as solvents.

Wisconsin 225
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USDA awards $3M biorefinery grant to support conversion of lignin into renewable alternative for ABS Resin

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a $3-million grant to support the commercialization of its patented and patent-pending lignin conversion and refining technologies. The USDA has awarded a consortium including Attis Innovations, Inc., a subsidiary of Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.,a and Advanced Lignin Biocomposites LLC. and Advanced Lignin Biocomposites LLC.

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Scientists develop method for direct conversion of methane to methanol or acetic acid under mild conditions

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Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory, Tufts University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have shown that mononuclear rhodium species, anchored on a zeolite or titanium dioxide support suspended in aqueous solution, can catalyze the direct conversion of methane to methanol and acetic acid using oxygen and carbon monoxide under mild conditions.

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DOE awards $97M to 33 bioenergy research and development projects

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University of Alabama. University of North Dakota. Scale-Up of the Primary Conversion Reactor to Generate a Lignin-Derived Cyclohexane Jet Fuel. North Carolina State University. Oregon State University. Microchannel Reactor for Ethanol to n-Butene Conversion. University of Cincinnati. 1,999,882.

Waste 186
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Wisconsin, GLBRC researchers use chemical genomics to engineer IL-resistant yeast to improve biofuel production

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Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) and colleagues have engineered a new strain of the yeast S. cerevisiae that is more resistant to the toxic effects of ionic liquids (ILs) used to generate sugars from lignocellulose.

Wisconsin 150
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ExxonMobil, UW-Madison partner on biomass-to-transportation fuel research

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The University of Wisconsin-Madison and ExxonMobil announced a two-year agreement to research the fundamental chemistry of converting biomass into transportation fuels. The science of biomass conversion is very complicated. Researchers have used expensive precious metal catalysts such as platinum for biomass conversion.