Application of nanoengineered materials for bioenergy production

Abstract Petroleum-based fuel depletion and climate change have increased the demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources. The advantages of bioenergy, such as reduced greenhouse gas emission and long-term sustainability, make it a potential alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Different forms of bioenergy include biodiesel, bioethanol, biobutanol, biogas, syngas, algal biofuels, solid biofuels, hydrogen, and many more. Various types of nanomaterials are widely used in the field of bioenergy production, depending on their nature. Some nanoparticles, including nanometal oxides, nanocarbons, and nanofibers, have been already developed for use at the laboratory level in the development of biofuels. Several pilot studies to maximize the production of bioenergy from biomass and other nanomaterials have been carried out. Bioenergy production can be enhanced by interlinking nanotechnology with biomaterials. By designing new techniques and modest catalysts to improve process efficiency, nanotechnology can be used effectively to convert biomass to large-scale bioenergy. Nanotechnology can be applied specifically to certain processing steps including biomass pretreatment, fermentation, enzyme hydrolysis, product separation, and recovery throughout biochemical conversion. The use of nanoengineered materials increases efficiency and decreases process costs. This chapter discusses the four different generations of biofuels, and the advantages and applications of bioenergy production using various nanomaterials. Several nanomaterials, including lignocellulose, starch, chitin and chitosan, soy protein, microalgae, metal oxides, and nanoparticles based on carbon, are described, with particular attention given to their application to solve depleting natural energy resources. The future scope and challenges are discussed in detail.