Fabio Hernández Ramos

• Professor
• University of the Basque Country

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have emerged as promising eco-friendly pre-treatment agents for lignocellulosic biomass, offering considerable advantages for the nanofibrillation process. This study investigates the impact of DESs on cellulose fibers morphology, focusing on solubilization phenomena in the amorphous regions that may facilitate cellulo...

Bio-polyols, produced by liquefying lignin with polyhydric alcohols, offer a promising alternative to conventional polyols for polyurethane production. To enhance the sustainability on the production of these bio-polyols, this study proposes the use of crude glycerol and microwave-assisted liquefaction as substitutes for conventional methods and co...

Producing materials from renewable resources is urgent in the current society due to the increment of oil price, environmental concern, and population growth. Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the most abundant renewable resources on earth, and it is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. This third component comprises 15–30% of biomass...

The olive pomace oil extracting industry generates large amounts of exhausted olive pomace (EOP), a lignocellulosic waste that needs to be managed according to sustainable criteria. The aim of this work is to devise an integrated strategy to valorize EOP by applying two‐step extraction, and to evaluate the effect of an ethanol organosolv pretreatme...

The depletion of nonrenewable resources highlights the need for sustainable energy production and basic commodities alternatives. Thus, in the last years, several studies have been carried out on the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass in order to be converted into high-added-value products, such as biofuels, chemicals, and biomaterials, which...

The antioxidant and antifungal activities of crude hydro-ethanolic extract from Capparis spinosa L. (Capparidaceae) leaves and their fractions, obtained by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using solvents with increasing polarity (hexane, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water), were investigated. The crude extract and the obtained fractions...

Lignocellulosic biomass is described as a three-dimensional polymeric composite material synthesised by plants. It consists mainly of structural components along with other minor non-structural compounds. The structural compounds are formed by three biopolymers: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The lignocellulosic biomass has been known as an...

In the near future, sustainable and efficient biorefineries would be essential for the production of commodity chemicals and high-added value compounds. Therefore, in this work, six scenarios differing on the delignification steps and cellulose conversion routes were assessed via Life Cycle Assessment methodology in order to study the environmental...

The extraction of nanochitin from marine waste has attracted great industrial interest due to its unique properties, namely biodegradability, biocompatibility and as a functional reinforcing agent. Conventional acid hydrolysis isolation of nanochitin requires high temperatures and acid concentration, time and energy. Herein, for the first time, mic...

In the present work, the optimization of the extraction of antioxidant compounds from apple pomace using ultrasound technology as an environmentally friendly and intensification process was developed. Different sonication powers, extraction temperatures and extraction times were studied and their influence on extraction yield and characteristics of...

The aim of this work was to study the influence of a renewable capping agent (CA) in the production of monomeric compounds from the depolymerization of an organosolv lignin (Pinus radiata) by a base catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) process. After the delignification process of the Pinus radiata sawdust, the lignin contained in the black liquor was...

In this work, an integral valorisation of almond shells through a biorefinery approach was studied. The three main components of almond shells were extracted, isolated and characterised. The autohydrolysis process permitted the extraction of the hemicellulosic fraction obtaining a liquor rich in xylooligosaccharides (22.12 g/L). Then, two different...

Agricultural residues (olive tree pruning and almond shell) were subjected to different delignification treatments (organosolv and soda) and the obtained liquors were treated in a high-pressure reactor at 300 °C for 80 min to depolymerize the dissolved lignin. In this way, the step of precipitating lignin from the liquor was avoided. The phenolic o...

Acacia Mimosa or black wattle (Acacia Mearnsii) industrial tannin extracts are used as such for leather tanning, water flocculants, adhesives and many other applications. However, when higher purity of the polyphenols is requested, these extracts are not suitable anymore. Therefore, feasible strategies have to be developed in order to improve the p...

The energetic requirements of several processes for high-purity lignin production from lignocellulosic waste streams has been studied in this work, based on simulation analysis performed with experimental data. The introduced variables were: two different raw materials (almond shell and olive tree pruning), the use of a pre-treatment stage and the...