Tuo Wang Receives ORAU Award for Foundational Work Toward Cheaper Biofuels
Tuo Wang, assistant professor in the LSU Department of Chemistry, won the competitive Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Achievement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and was congratulated this week by LSU President F. King Alexander, Executive Vice President and Provost Stacia Haynie, and Vice President of Research & Economic Development Samuel J. Bentley.
There are many reasons Wang won, but one immediately stands out:
“Cheaper gas!” he said. “This award will support our work characterizing carbohydrates and their interactions with a polymer called lignin on a molecular level, which determines our efficiency in producing biofuel.”
Executive Vice President and Provost Stacia Haynie, Vice President of Research & Economic
Development Samuel J. Bentley, Assistant Professor Tuo Wang, and LSU President F.
King Alexander. Elsa Hahne/LSU
Wang will combine solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with molecular modeling and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) to determine how lignin and complex carbohydrates are packed in living plants. The removal of lignin is a key step in biomass conversion to biofuels.
“You have about 10 percent ethanol in the gas you get at the gas station,” he said. “This wasn’t possible 20 years ago; it’s due to our recent progress in releasing carbohydrates, or sugars, in plants. Carbohydrates are always associated with more complicated polymers that lock the sugars in the cell so they can’t easily be taken out. I’m studying how the sugars interact with the ‘lockers,’ and if we can get a good understanding of their interactions, we can improve our technology and more efficiently take the sugars out and use them for fuel. This will reduce the cost of ethanol in the long run.”
The Ralph E. Powe awards, now in their 29th year, recognize faculty members for their work in any of five science and technology disciplines: engineering or applied science; life sciences; mathematics and computer science; physical sciences; and policy, management, or education. Wang will receive $5,000 in seed money from ORAU, matched dollar for dollar by LSU for a total of $10,000.
Elsa Hahne
LSU Office of Research & Economic Development
225-578-4774
ehahne@lsu.edu