Lignin rather the beam it is long thick

Huge reservoirs of promising carbon at hand, beneath our feet... This is the utopia that researchers will try to achieve by working on the exploitation of plant cells. But enthusiasm for biofuels, said these days by the France in the automotive world, should not even hide pitfalls. Because the plants and trees concentrated the bulk of the energy atom in well protected their cell wall.

All major nations have launched their troops of research to this still well mysterious citadel. The first generation of biofuel successfully dodging this cell battle. The first bio-refineries in the Brazil, in the United States and Europe gradually draw their ethanol and their generosity diesel seeds produced by the cereals or oilseeds. Carbon is present in more readable form: sugars and oils. The success of this test run is more disputed: there is nothing that the United States, 101 production plants will be joined by 36 news. This is not however enough, the yield per hectare of biofuel is too low. For the second generation of biofuels, researchers now aim the transformation of the entire plant.

For chemists, the jump is painful: petroleum hydrocarbon chains contain all carbon and little oxygen, an atom that dilutes the fuel energy power. For a century, the petrochemical succeeded in raising yields of conversion of black gold. "On 100 carbon atoms present in the oil is known to transform 80 fuel" indicates Jean-Luc Duplan de L'IFP.

The walls of plant carbon takes the form of three types of polymers: lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. These long carbon molecules play the role of structural plant. Lignin, rather the beam, it is long, thick. Hemicellulose would play the role of the joists, as cellulose. The plants have benefited from a few billion years of evolution to develop these bulwarks against the attacks of the living world, be it microbial or animal. Is therefore not a coincidence if first generation processes know "Digest" that smaller molecules. The best current methods do not exceed 20 of performance: 80 carbon atoms are lost on 100 content in plant cells. Researchers compete for work to bucking polymers and transform them into digestible molecules. Two different technological pathways are explored. The community of biologists sophisticated biotechnology processes for the production of first generation ethanol. It essentially to improve the ability of digestion of microorganisms to degrade the polymer. The United States have taken the lead in this way the Genome to Life project with $ 250 million. Their mastery of GMOs already leads to efficient bioreactors experiments.

Their research go even further since they wrested modify plants to boost their rate of cellulose. A strategy that involves a lot of understanding of the complex mechanisms of the formation of polymers in the cell. The genesis of the cellulose and hemicellulose is beginning to be understood. The lignin remains mysterious.

Physicists and chemists, has been in force with the path of the thermal cracking of molecules. This method allows to operate all Polymers plant, unlike the biological pathway that exploits that cellulose.

Left behind, the French are trying to catch up with American, German, Nordic and Japanese leaders. The national research agency encourages initiatives since its inception in 2004, in the field. For Philippe Freyssinet, energy and sustainable development of the Agency Program Manager, the NRO has an effect structuring with 8 million devoted this year to biomass. The effort deserves to be continued, the France has by far the largest potential biomass resource, double that of the Italy or Great Britain.