Ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as attractive solvents for lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment in the production of biofuels and chemical feedstocks. However, the high cost of ILs is a key deterrent to their practical application. Here, we show that acetate based ILs are effective in dramatically reducing the recalcitrance of corn stover toward enzymatic polysaccharide hydrolysis even at loadings of biomass as high as 50% by weight. Under these conditions, the IL serves more as a pretreatment additive rather than a true solvent. Pretreatment of corn stover with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidizolium acetate ([Emim] [OAc]) at 125 ± 5°C for 1 h resulted in a dramatic reduction of cellulose crystallinity (up to 52%) and extraction of lignin (up to 44%). Enzymatic hydrolysis of the IL-treated biomass was performed with a common commercial cellulase/xylanase from Trichoderma reesei and a commercial β-glucosidase, and resulted in fermentable sugar yields of ∼80% for glucose and ∼50% for xylose at corn stover loadings up to 33% (w/w) and 55% and 34% for glucose and xylose, respectively, at 50% (w/w) biomass loading. Similar results were observed for the IL-facilitated pretreatment of switchgrass, poplar, and the highly recalcitrant hardwood, maple. At 4.8% (w/w) corn stover, [Emim][OAc] can be readily reused up to 10 times without removal of extracted components, such as lignin, with no effect on subsequent fermentable sugar yields. A significant reduction in the amount of IL combined with facile recycling has the potential to enable ILs to be used in large-scale biomass pretreatment.

Electrospinning of nanomaterial composites are gaining increased interest in the fabrication of electronic components and devices. Performance improvement of electrospun components results from the unique properties associated with nanometer-scaled features, high specific surface areas, and light-weight designs. Electrospun nanofiber membrane-containing polymer electrolytes show improved ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, low interfacial resistance, and improved charge-discharge performance than those prepared from conventional membranes. Batteries with non-woven electrospun separators have increased cycle life and higher rate capabilities than ones with conventional separators. Electrospun nanofibers may also be used as working electrodes in lithium-ion batteries, where they exhibit excellent rate capability, high reversible capacity, and good cycling performance. Moreover, the high surface area of electrospun activated carbon nanofibers improves supercapacitor energy density. Similarly, nanowires having quasi-one-dimensional structures prepared by electrospinning show high conductivity and have been used in ultra-sensitive chemical sensors, optoelectronics, and catalysts. Electrospun conductive polymers can also perform as flexible electrodes. Finally, the thin, porous structure of electrospun nanofibers provides for the high strain and fast response required for improved actuator performance. The current review examines recent advances in the application of electrospinning in fabricating electronic components and devices.

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