(116e) Superior Performance Biodiesel from Biomass Hydrolysate Fusel Alcohols and Bio-Oils: Fatty Acid Fusel Esters (FAFE) and Combustion Behavior

In an effort to address challenges related to fuel performance and feedstock limitation for biodiesel production, we demonstrated production of fatty acid fusel alcohol esters (FAFE) obtained by reacting fusel alcohols from bioconversion of mixed substrate biomass hydrolysates with oil. Firstly, we developed a microbial consortium-based biocatalysis strategy to utilize both the complex sugars and the amino acids in algae hydrolysates as a substrate for the production of C4 and C5 fusel alcohols. Secondly, we demonstrated the utilization of high free fatty acid containing bio-oil sources for enzymatic transformation in to fatty acid fusel esters (FAFE) using lipase from Aspergillus oryzae. The effect of different mole ratios of fusel alcohol mixture (isobutanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol) on the transesterification of glyceryl trioleate and oleic acid was studied. Optimized reaction conditions achieved >97% yield of fatty acid conversion to FAFE. Thirdly, mixed ester surrogates of different oil sources such as Chlamodomonas biomass (green microalgae biomass), waste cooking oil, and Rhodosporidium biomass (lipidic yeast) were evaluated for use as a fuel for diesel engines. The data indicated that FAFE have superior combustion and cold-flow properties, a 34.6% shorter ignition delay time (leading to higher cetane values) and a 9â—¦C lower no-flow point in comparison to FAMEs.