Accueil

Various complex processes can be used to release the sugars contained in the wood, which are used in particular to produce second-generation bioethanol. Our study has identified technological trade-off zones (temperature and duration of pre-treatment) that enable oak and poplar residues to be recovered while minimising the economic investment.

This international mobility project, carried out in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Andreas Richter, head of the TER (Terrestrial Ecosystem Research) division at the University of Vienna in Austria

In the current climate of climate change and depletion of fossil fuels, the search for sustainable energy solutions is imperative. Lignocellulosic biomass, made up of the non-food parts of plants and residues from the wood industry, is diverse in its origins and above all renewable: it appears to be a relevant alternative to fossil carbon. However, its chemical and structural complexity makes it costly to transform by biotechnological means into products of interest, which is why it has been described as a recalcitrant raw material. It is therefore vital to develop innovative strategies to deconstruct it efficiently. Although a great deal of research has identified recalcitrance factors at the nanometric scale, such as lignin content and cellulose crystallinity, the study of recalcitrance at the scale of plant cells and tissues remains little explored.