Biomass-based styrene production: Process design, techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment

Guorui Fan; Boqi Zhu; Yang Lei; Zhenlei Zhang; Jiaze Ma; Yuqiu Chen

doi:10.1016/j.ces.2025.122460

Biomass-based styrene production: Process design, techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment

Guorui Fan
, Boqi Zhu
, Yang Lei^*
, Zhenlei Zhang
, Jiaze Ma
, Yuqiu Chen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Systems Engineering

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Styrene is an essential chemical, and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable resources in styrene production is crucial for reducing environmental impact and achieving sustainability goals. The synthesis of styrene from second-generation biomass, composed of agricultural residues and forest waste, represents an important pathway for future sustainable development. In this study, two promising biomass-based styrene synthesis routes: chemical transformation of bio-based ethanol (CTBE) and indirect fermentation of biomass hydrolyzed glucose (IFBH), were developed by combining state-of-the-art technologies at each processing stage. Techno-economic analysis revealed that the CTBE process ($1,057.5 per ton styrene production) exhibits superior economic performance compared to the IFBH process ($3,382.1 per ton styrene production). Life-cycle assessment results indicated that the IFBH process (−0.34 kg CO₂ eq. per kg of styrene) holds a significant advantage in environmental performance over the CTBE process (1.06 kg CO₂ eq. per kg of styrene). Furthermore, during the CTBE process, adjusting 65 % to 75 % of the production capacity of the by-product 1,5-hexadiene for combustion can balance economic and environmental performance. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd.

Original language	English
Article number	122460
Number of pages	15
Journal	Chemical Engineering Science
Volume	320
Issue number	Part A
Online published	19 Aug 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2025.122460
Publication status	Published - 15 Jan 2026

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21706198, U24A20544) and the Science Fund Program for Distinguished Young Scholars-China University of Petroleum (Beijing) (2462025QNXZ005).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13 Climate Action
SDG 15 Life on Land

Research Keywords

Biomass to styrene
Conceptual design
Life cycle assessment
Sustainability
Techno-economic analysis

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10.1016/j.ces.2025.122460

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title = "Biomass-based styrene production: Process design, techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment",

abstract = "Styrene is an essential chemical, and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable resources in styrene production is crucial for reducing environmental impact and achieving sustainability goals. The synthesis of styrene from second-generation biomass, composed of agricultural residues and forest waste, represents an important pathway for future sustainable development. In this study, two promising biomass-based styrene synthesis routes: chemical transformation of bio-based ethanol (CTBE) and indirect fermentation of biomass hydrolyzed glucose (IFBH), were developed by combining state-of-the-art technologies at each processing stage. Techno-economic analysis revealed that the CTBE process (\$1,057.5 per ton styrene production) exhibits superior economic performance compared to the IFBH process (\$3,382.1 per ton styrene production). Life-cycle assessment results indicated that the IFBH process (−0.34 kg CO2 eq. per kg of styrene) holds a significant advantage in environmental performance over the CTBE process (1.06 kg CO2 eq. per kg of styrene). Furthermore, during the CTBE process, adjusting 65 \% to 75 \% of the production capacity of the by-product 1,5-hexadiene for combustion can balance economic and environmental performance. {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ces.2025.122460",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Biomass-based styrene production

T2 - Process design, techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment

AU - Fan, Guorui

AU - Zhu, Boqi

AU - Lei, Yang

AU - Zhang, Zhenlei

AU - Ma, Jiaze

AU - Chen, Yuqiu

PY - 2026/1/15

Y1 - 2026/1/15

N2 - Styrene is an essential chemical, and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable resources in styrene production is crucial for reducing environmental impact and achieving sustainability goals. The synthesis of styrene from second-generation biomass, composed of agricultural residues and forest waste, represents an important pathway for future sustainable development. In this study, two promising biomass-based styrene synthesis routes: chemical transformation of bio-based ethanol (CTBE) and indirect fermentation of biomass hydrolyzed glucose (IFBH), were developed by combining state-of-the-art technologies at each processing stage. Techno-economic analysis revealed that the CTBE process ($1,057.5 per ton styrene production) exhibits superior economic performance compared to the IFBH process ($3,382.1 per ton styrene production). Life-cycle assessment results indicated that the IFBH process (−0.34 kg CO2 eq. per kg of styrene) holds a significant advantage in environmental performance over the CTBE process (1.06 kg CO2 eq. per kg of styrene). Furthermore, during the CTBE process, adjusting 65 % to 75 % of the production capacity of the by-product 1,5-hexadiene for combustion can balance economic and environmental performance. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd.

AB - Styrene is an essential chemical, and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable resources in styrene production is crucial for reducing environmental impact and achieving sustainability goals. The synthesis of styrene from second-generation biomass, composed of agricultural residues and forest waste, represents an important pathway for future sustainable development. In this study, two promising biomass-based styrene synthesis routes: chemical transformation of bio-based ethanol (CTBE) and indirect fermentation of biomass hydrolyzed glucose (IFBH), were developed by combining state-of-the-art technologies at each processing stage. Techno-economic analysis revealed that the CTBE process ($1,057.5 per ton styrene production) exhibits superior economic performance compared to the IFBH process ($3,382.1 per ton styrene production). Life-cycle assessment results indicated that the IFBH process (−0.34 kg CO2 eq. per kg of styrene) holds a significant advantage in environmental performance over the CTBE process (1.06 kg CO2 eq. per kg of styrene). Furthermore, during the CTBE process, adjusting 65 % to 75 % of the production capacity of the by-product 1,5-hexadiene for combustion can balance economic and environmental performance. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd.

KW - Biomass to styrene

KW - Conceptual design

KW - Life cycle assessment

KW - Sustainability

KW - Techno-economic analysis

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U2 - 10.1016/j.ces.2025.122460

DO - 10.1016/j.ces.2025.122460

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0009-2509

VL - 320

JO - Chemical Engineering Science

JF - Chemical Engineering Science

IS - Part A

M1 - 122460

ER -

Biomass-based styrene production: Process design, techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment

Abstract

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UN SDGs

Research Keywords

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