Agricultural Biomass Nanocatalysts for Green Energy Applications

The book discusses the various sustainable approaches to combine agrowaste and nanomaterials into catalysts or nanocatalysts with the objective of enhancing biofuel production. It explores the practical sustainability of agronanocatalysts in bioenergy production at a mass scale, while also addressing the existing challenges and proposes sustainable remedies to overcome these limitations. Additionally, the book dives into the cost considerations, recognizing it as a major concern for the widespread utility of catalysts, and explores viable commercial applications in this context. Nanomaterials continue to attract attention in the field of proteins and enzymes due to their versatile physicochemical properties and potential. They offer opportunities to enhance various biofuel production processes by serving as catalysts in the reaction medium. For instance, studies have highlighted the significant improvements in cellulase enzyme production, stability, pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, and enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency achieved through the utilization of nanomaterials. The impact of nanomaterials on fermentative hydrogen production has also been documented. While the application of nanomaterials in biofuel production processes has been reported in the literature, there remains a need to focus on the type of nanomaterials, their synthesis, and their specific effects on important process parameters. Addressing and evaluating these factors is crucial to effectively improve and streamline biofuel production processes using nanomaterials. The book serves as a comprehensive introduction to nanomaterials and nanotechnology in biofuel production, catering to the needs of researchers, academicians and students.