Nanotechnology in Bioethanol/Biobutanol Production

Biofuels will become competitive globally only when they can be delinked from food crops. All non-food feeds for bio-alcohols (bioethanol/biobutanol) production have the inherent difficulty of conversion from cellulose to simpler sugars that can be fermented into end products. The process currently being used to convert complex cellulosic feedstocks into sugars is costly; hence, the biofuels obtained through these routes are not economical. Enormous efforts are currently being made worldwide to convert second- and third-generation feedstocks into bioethanol/biobutanol, and several prominent global energy-producing companies are investing large sums of money to realize this dream. The complexity and cost of different stages of bio-alcohols production can be minimized with the application of different nanoparticles. A three-pronged approach is required to comprehend the economic production of bioethanol which begins with technology for better crop production, improved feedstock processing, and development of new biofuels such as biobutanol and renewable hydrocarbons. Various kinds of nanoparticles such as iron oxide, nickel cobaltite, zinc oxide and different nanocomposites, etc. have been used for production of biofuels. The present chapter deals with the present status on the application of nanoparticles in different stages of bio-alcohols (bioethanol/biobutanol) production. Involvement of these nanomaterials in different bioconversion processes provides a sustainable way by reducing the raw biomass processing as well as production costs and lowering down the harmful environmental impacts.