Research

The Brace Lab at 涩里番下载 leads research in bioprocessing, downstream separations and recovery of biomolecules and bioproducts, and quantitative sustainable design [including techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA)] of bioproducts and biorefineries.

Key questions in biofuels & bioproducts research:

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How do we "replace the whole barrel" and make bio-based products beyond biofuels?
There are many examples of turning plant biomass into bioproducts (such as corn to ethanol), but how do we move beyond that to turn low-value biomass into high-value products such as commodity chemicals?
If we can do it at lab-scale: how do we scale it up, what will cost, and what are the potential environmental impacts?

Molecular modeling allows us to design solvent systems to separate and isolate molecules of interest.

In the lab, we can validate our separations simulations using techniques ranging from simple to complex.

We use process simulators and tools to perform techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (environmental impacts) to scale-up what we can do in the lab, design biorefineries, and evaluate their potential.

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Publications & Presentations

Peer-Reviewed Publications

摆6闭听E.C. Brace, A.S. Engelberth. (2022) Estimating a target price to regenerate bio-oils post hydrogen sulfide removal.听Biofuels, Bioproducts听& Biorefining,听16听(6), 1781-1793.听

[5] C. Mishra, C.A. Riley, I.O. Okekeogbu, G.V. Smith,听E.C. Brace, E.A. Kerstiens, L.E. Novak, K.L. Clase. (2022) Continuous Improvement of a Bioengineering CURE: Preparing Students for a Changing World.听Biochem Mol Biol Educ,听50听(5), 510鈥�518,听

[4] S.S. Bhagwat, Y. Li, Y.R. Cort茅s-Pe帽a,听E.C. Brace, T.A. Martin, H. Zhao, J.S. Guest. (2021) Sustainable Production of Acrylic Acid via 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid from Lignocellulosic Biomass.听ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering,听9听(49), 16659-16669.听

[3]听E.C. Brace, A.S. Engelberth. (2020). Assessing Viability of Soybean Oils to Remove Hydrogen Sulfide from Natural Gas.听ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng.,听8听(25), 9377-9384.听

[2]听E.C. Brace, A.S. Engelberth. (2017). Enhancing Silymarin Fractionation Using the Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents.听J. Chromatogr. A,听1487, 187鈥�193.听

[1] H. Zhang,听E.C. Brace, A.S. Engelberth. (2016). Selection of a Non-Aqueous Two-Phase Solvent System for Fractionation of Xylooligosaccharides Prebiotics Using the Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents.听J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol.,听39听(6), 666-673.听


Under Review

Bhagwat, S.S.; Dell鈥橝nna, M.N.; Li, Y.; Cao, M.;听Brace, E.C.; Bhagwat, S.S.; Huber, G.W.; Zhao, H.; Guest, J.S. Sustainable triacetic acid lactone production from sugarcane by fermentation and crystallization.听Green Chemistry. Submitted June 21, 2024. Pre-print available online:听


Conference Proceedings

[1]听E. C. Brace, A. S. Engelberth. (2019). Soybean oil as a bio-solvent to sweeten sour natural gas.听AIChE Annual Meeting.


Selected Presentations

  1. L.W. Baxter*鈥�, M.H. Cotta*鈥�, I.C. Doyle鈥�, B.A.O. Lewis鈥�, G.I. Mohr鈥�, W.P. Rice鈥�, C.E. Richter鈥�, A.W. Suza*鈥�,听E.C. Brace. (2024) Sustainable production of xylitol from lignocellulosic biomass.听Poster, Society for Industrial Microbiology (SIMB) Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.
  2. I.C. Doyle*鈥�, B.A.O. Lewis*鈥�, G.I. Mohr*鈥�, W.P. Rice*鈥�, C.E. Richter*鈥�,听E.C. Brace. (2024) Sustainable production of xylitol from lignocellulosic biomass.听Poster, Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels, and Chemicals (SBFC), Alexandria, VA.
  3. I.C. Doyle鈥�, B.A.O. Lewis鈥�, G.I. Mohr鈥�, W.P. Rice*鈥�, C.E. Richter鈥�,听E.C. Brace. (2024) Sustainable production of xylitol from lignocellulosic biomass.听Invited 鈥淩apid Fire鈥� Oral Presentation, Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels, and Chemicals (SBFC), Alexandria, VA.
  4. E.C. Brace*, X. Zhang, Y.R. Cort茅s-Pe帽a, S. Bhagwat, Y. Li, J.S. Guest. (2022) Harmonizing Assumptions Between TEA and LCA of Bioproducts.听Poster,听American Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) Annual Research and Education Conference, St. Louis, MO.
  5. E.C. Brace*, A.S. Engelberth. (2019). Soybean Oil as a Bio-Solvent to Sweeten Sour Natural Gas.听Oral presentation, Integrated Process Engineering and Economic Analysis Session, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
  6. E.C. Brace*. (2019). Integrating Molecular Modeling with Experimental Work to Propel a Bioproducts Pipeline.听Poster presentation, Meet the Faculty Candidate Poster Session, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
  7. E.C. Brace*, A.S. Engelberth. (2019). Using Soybean Oil to Sweeten Sour Gas.听Poster presentation, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Bioenergy Sustainability Conference, Nashville, TN.
  8. E.C. Brace, A.S. Engelberth*. (2018). A Molecular Modeling Approach for Solvent Screening: Extracting Hydrogen Sulfide with Soybean Oil.听Oral presentation, Frontiers in Biorefining, St. Simons, GA.
  9. I. Yoon, J.B. Friesen*,听E.C. Brace, A.S. Engelberth, Y. Liu, C. Simmler, J.B. McAlpine, G.F. Pauli, S.N. Chen. (2018). Large听K听Values to Achieve Separation of Target Compounds in Humulus lupulus.听Poster presentation, International Conference on Countercurrent Chromatography (CCC), Braunschweig, Germany.
  10. E. C. Brace*, A. S. Engelberth (2018). Using High-Oleic Soybean Oil to Remove H2S from Sour Gas.听Invited Rapid Fire Oral presentation, Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels & Chemicals (SBFC), Clearwater, FL.
  11. E. C. Brace*, A. S. Engelberth (2018). A Molecular Modeling Approach to Using High-Oleic Soybean Oil to Remove H2S from Sour Gas.听Poster presentation, Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels & Chemicals (SBFC), Clearwater, FL.
  12. E. C. Brace*. (2018). Molecular Modeling Approaches to Challenges in Bioseparations.听Invited Guest Seminar, Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering and Building Future Faculty Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
  13. E. C. Brace*, A. S. Engelberth. (2017). Molecular Modeling of High Oleic Soybean Oil as a Universal Solvent for Extracting Hydrogen Sulfide from Natural Gas.听Poster presentation, Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels & Chemicals (SBFC), San Francisco, CA.
  14. E. C. Brace*, A. S. Engelberth. (2016). Enhancing Silymarin Fractionation using the Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents.听Invited 3-Minute Flash Oral presentation, 9th International Countercurrent Chromatography Conference (CCC), Chicago, IL.
  15. E. C. Brace*, A. S. Engelberth. (2016). Enhancing Silymarin Fractionation using the Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents.听Poster presentation, 9th International Countercurrent Chromatography Conference (CCC), Chicago, IL.

*indicates presenting author
鈥爄ndicates undergraduate author

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