Chemical engineering researchers part of multi-disciplinary effort to transform farmland grasses into source for biobased consumer products
In Alabama, Auburn University said that the Biobased Rural Innovation for Domestic Growth and Economic Security (BRIDGES) Engine, led by the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in partnership with Auburn University, the University of Tennessee, Volkswagen Group of America and AGgrow Tech LLC, unites industry, government and academic partners in an effort to strengthen rural economies and transform underutilized farmland in Alabama and Tennessee into a source of biobased consumer products, including packages for shipping.
Backed by the National Science Foundation, the initiative is eligible to receive as much as $160 million over the next decade.
The research work will focus on the chemistry involved in converting plant-based feedstocks into usable materials, including chemical treatments and the separation of components such as cellulose and lignin, according to the report.
Category: Research
