Biological Systems Engineering

Agricultural Engineering Building
Room 229
460 Henry Mall
Madison, WI 53706
Tel: (608) 262-4951
Fax: (608) 262-1228
E-mail: xpan@wisc.edu

Program Affiliations

• UW Madison, Biological Systems Engineering Department

Teaching

• BSE364: Engineering Properties of Food and Biological Materials
• BSE460: Biorefining – Energy and Products from Renewable Resources

Education

• Ph.D. Biomass Conversion and Wood Chemistry, Applied Bioscience Division, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japan, 1999.
• Ph.D. Paper Science and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China, 1993.
• M.Eng. Paper Science and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China, 1986.
• B.Eng. Paper Science and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China, 1983.

Fields of Interest

• Development of biorefining processes for production of fuels, chemicals and materials from lignocellulose
• Fractionation of lignocellulose using organosolv processes
• Fundamental aspects in bioconversion of lignocellulose with special emphasis on chemistry during pretreatment and substrate-enzymes interaction during enzymatic hydrolysis
• Value-added utilization of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose and extractives

Major Active Research Projects

• X.J. Pan, NSF CAREER Award, CAREER: Fundamental understanding of behaviors and impacts of cell wall lignin during bioconversion of lignocellulose to fuel ethanol (2009-2014, $450,000).
• J. Ralph, X.J. Pan and S. Patterson, Stanford GCEP, Efficient biomass conversion: delineating the best lignin monomer-substitutes (2009-2012, $1,377,000).
• J.Y. Zhu and X.J. Pan, USDA Forest Service, SPORL for efficient biochemical conversion of woody biomass (2008-2010, $143,000).
• X.J. Pan, USDA McIntire-Stennis, Bioconversion of forest residues to fuel ethanol and value-added co-products using organosolv biorefining platform (2007-2011, $119,000).

Selected Publications

• X. Luo, R. Gleisner, S. Tian, J. Negron, W. Zhu, E. Horn, X.J. Pan, and J.Y. Zhu. Evaluation of mountain beetle-infested lodgepole pine for cellulosic ethanol production by SPORL pretreatment. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2010, 49, 8258-8266.
• J.Y. Zhu, X.J. Pan and R.S. Zalesny Jr. Pretreatment of Woody Biomass for Biofuel Production: Energy Efficiency, Technologies and Recalcitrance. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2010, 87, 847-857.
• Yang, Q. and Pan, X.J. A facile approach for fabricating fluorescent cellulose. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2010, 117, 3639-3644.
• J.Y. Zhu, W. Zhu, P. OBryan, B.S. Dien, S. Tian, R. Gleisner, X.J. Pan. Ethanol Production from SPORL-Pretreated Lodgepole Pine: Preliminary Evaluation of Mass Balance and Process Energy Efficiency. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2010, 86, 1355-1365.
• Zhu, J.Y. and Pan, X.J. Woody biomass pretreatment for cellulosic ethanol production: technology and energy consumption evaluation. Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101, 4992-5002.
• Yang, Q., Pan, X.J., Huang, F., and Li, K.C. Fabrication of high-concentration and stable aqueous suspensions of graphene nanosheets by noncovalent functionalization with natural polymers. Journal of Physical Chemistry-Part C, 2010, 114, 3811-3816.
• Yang, Q. and Pan, X.J. Preparation and characterization of water-soluble single wall carbon nanotubes by hybridization with hydroxypropyl cellulose derivatives. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2010, 49, 2747-2751.
• Shuai, L., Yang, Q., Zhu, J.Y., Lu, F.C., Weimer, P.J., Ralph, J. and Pan, X.J. Comparative study of SPORL and dilute acid pretreatments of spruce for cellulosic ethanol production. Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101, 3106-3114.
• Zhu, W.Y., Zhu, J.Y., Gleisner, R., and Pan, X.J. On energy consumption for size-reduction and enzymatic saccharification of softwood lodgepole pine. Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101, 2782-2792.
• Tu, M., X.J. Pan and J. Saddler. Adsorption of cellulase on cellulolytic enzyme lignin from lodgepole pine. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009, 57, 7771-7778.
• Harmita, H., K.G. Karthikeyan and X.J. Pan. Copper and cadmium ions sorption onto kraft and organosolv lignins. Bioresource Technology, 2009, 100, 6183-6191.
• Wang, G., X.J. Pan, J.Y. Zhu, R. Gleisner and D. Rockwood. Sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) for robust enzymatic saccharification of hardwoods. Biotechnology Progress, 2009, 25, 1086-1093.
• Zhu, J.Y., X.J. Pan, G.S. Wang and R. Gleisner. Sulfite pretreatment (SPORL) for robust enzymatic saccharification of spruce and red pine. Bioresource Technology, 2009, 100, 2411-2418.
• Zhu, J.Y., G.S. Wang, X.J. Pan and R. Gleisner. Specific surface to evaluate the efficiencies of milling and pretreatment of wood for enzymatic saccharification. Chemical Engineering Science, 2009, 64, 474-485.
• Q. Yang, L. Shuai and X.J. Pan. Synthesis of fluorescent chitosan and its application in noncovalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes. Biomacromolecules, 2008, 9, 3422-3426.
• Yang, Q., L. Shuai, J.J. Zhou, F.C. Lu and X.J. Pan. Functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by pyrene-labeled hydroxypropyl cellulose. Journal of Physical Chemistry, Part B, 2008, 112, 12934-12939.
• Pan, X.-J., D. Xie, R. Yu and J. N. Saddler. The bioconversion of mountain pine beetle killed lodgepole pine to fuel ethanol using the organosolv process. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2008, 101, 39-48.
• Pan, X.-J. Role of functional groups in lignin inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, 2008, 2, 25-32.
• Chandra, R.P., R. Bura, W. Mabee, A. Berlin, X.J. Pan and J.N. Saddler. Substrate Pretreatment: The Key to Effective Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosics? Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, 2007, 108, 67-93.
• Pan, X.J., D. Xie, R. Yu, D. Lam and J. N. Saddler. Pretreatment of lodgepole pine killed by mountain pine beetle using organosolv ethanol process: fractionation and process optimization. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2007, 46, 2609-2617.
• Pan, X.J., D. Xie, K.-Y. Kang, S.-L. Yoon and J. N. Saddler. Effect of organosolv ethanol pretreatment variables on physical characteristics of hybrid poplar substrates. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2007, 136-140, 367-378.
• Pan, X.J., K. Ehara, J. Kadla, N. Gilkes and J. Saddler. Organosolv ethanol lignin from poplar as radical scavenger: relationship between lignin structure, extracting condition and antioxidant activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2006, 54, 5806-5813.
• Pan, X.J., N. Gilkes and J. Saddler. Effect of acetyl groups on enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic substrates. Holzforschung, 2006, 60, 398-401.
• Pan, X.J., N. Gilkes, J. Kadla, K. Pye, S. Saka, K. Ehara, D. Gregg, D. Xie, D. Lam and J. Saddler. Bioconversion of hybrid poplar to ethanol and co-products using an organosolv fractionation Process: Optimization of process yields. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2006, 94, 851-861.
• Yu, F., Y.H. Liu, X.J. Pan, X.Y. Lin, C.M. Liu, P. Chen and R. Ruan. Liquefaction of corn stover and preparation of polyester from the liquefied polyol. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2006, 129-132, 574-585.
• Mabee, W.E., D.J. Gregg, C. Arato, A. Berlin, R. Bura, N. Gilkes, O. Mirochnik, X.J. Pan, E.K. Pye and J.N. Saddler. Updates on softwood-to-ethanol process development. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2006, 129-132, 55-70.
• Pan, X.J., C. Arato, N. Gilkes, D. J. Gregg, W. Mabee, E. K. Pye, Z. Xiao, X. Zhang and J. N. Saddler. Biorefining of softwoods using ethanol organosolv pulping - preliminary evaluation of process streams for manufacture of fuel-grade ethanol and co-products. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2005, 90 (4), 473-481.
• Pan, X.J., D. Xie, N. Gilkes, D.J. Gregg and J.N. Saddler. Strategies to enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated softwood with high residual lignin content. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2005, 121-124, 1069-1079.
• Pan. X.J. and Y. Sano. Fractionation of wheat straw by atmospheric acetic acid process. Bioresource Technology, 2005, 96 (11), 1256-1263.
• Pan, X.J., X. Zhang, D.J. Gregg and J.N. Saddler. Enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of steam-exploded Douglas fir by alkaline oxygen post-treatment. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2004, 115, 1103-1114.
• Li, Y., R. Ruan, P.L. Chen, Z. Liu, X.J. Pan, X. Lin, Y. Liu, C.K. Mok, T. Yang. Enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover pretreated by combined dilute alkaline treatment and homogenization. Transactions of ASAE. 2004, 47 (3), 821-825.
• Zhu, J.Y., X.-S. Chai, X.J. Pan, Q. Luo and J. Li. Quantification and reduction of organic sulfur compound formation in a commercial wood pulping process. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2002, 36, 2269-2272.
• Pan, X.J. and Y. Sano. Characterization and comparison of milled wood, acetic acid and alkaline lignins from wheat straw. Holzforschung, 2000, 54 (1), 61-65.
• Pan, X.J. and Y. Sano. Atmospheric acetic acid pulping of rice straw IV: Physico-chemical characterization of acetic acid lignins from rice straw and woods, Part 2. Chemical structures. Holzforschung, 1999, 53 (6), 590-596.
• Pan, X.J. and Y. Sano. Atmospheric acetic acid pulping of rice straw IV: Physico-chemical characterization of acetic acid lignins from rice straw and woods, Part 1. Physical characteristics. Holzforschung, 1999, 53 (5), 511-518.
• Pan, X.J. and Y. Sano. Acetic acid pulping of wheat straw under atmospheric pressure. Journal of Wood Science, 1999, 45 (4), 319-325.
• Pan, X.J.; Y. Sano and T. Ito. Atmospheric acetic acid pulping of rice straw II: Behavior of ash and silica in rice straw during atmospheric acetic acid pulping and bleaching. Holzforschung, 1999, 53 (1), 49-55.

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