1. Efficient Mild Organosolv Lignin Extraction in a Flow-Through Setup Yielding Lignin with High β-O-4 Content
- Author
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Peter J. Deuss, Coen A. Analbers, Erwin Wilbers, Joren de Korte, Douwe S. Zijlstra, and Chemical Technology
- Subjects
Polymers and Plastics ,FLOWTHROUGH PRETREATMENT ,Organosolv ,lignin ,Ether ,Fractionation ,macromolecular substances ,Raw material ,complex mixtures ,Article ,lcsh:QD241-441 ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,SOLVOLYSIS ,lcsh:Organic chemistry ,Lignin ,organosolv extraction ,OPTIMIZATION ,LIGNOCELLULOSE ,high β-O-4 content ,Chromatography ,PRIMARY ALCOHOL OXIDATION ,biomass ,Depolymerization ,Extraction (chemistry) ,fungi ,technology, industry, and agriculture ,food and beverages ,General Chemistry ,chemistry ,flow-through setup ,REDUCTIVE CATALYTIC FRACTIONATION ,DEPOLYMERIZATION ,ACID ,Solvolysis ,high beta-O-4 content ,VALORIZATION - Abstract
Current lignin fractionation methods use harsh conditions that alter the native lignin structure, resulting in a recalcitrant material which is undesired for downstream processing. Milder fractionation processes allow for the isolation of lignins that are high in &beta, aryl ether (&beta, O-4) content, however, at reduced extraction efficiency. The development of improved lignin extraction methods using mild conditions is therefore desired. For this reason, a flow-through setup for mild ethanosolv extraction (120 °, C) was developed. The influence of acid concentration, ethanol/water ratio, and the use of other linear alcohol co-solvents on the delignification efficiency and the &beta, O-4 content were evaluated. With walnut shells as model feedstock, extraction efficiencies of over 55% were achieved, yielding lignin with a good structural quality in terms of &beta, O-4 linking motifs (typically over 60 per 100 aromatic units). For example, lignin containing 66 &beta, O-4 linking motifs was obtained with an 80:20 n-propanol/water ratio, 0.18 M H2SO4 with overall a good extraction efficiency of 57% after 5 hours. The majority of the lignin was extracted in the first 2 hours and this lignin showed the best structural quality. Compared to batch extractions, both higher lignin extraction efficiency and higher &beta, O-4 content were obtained using the flow setup.
- Published
- 2019
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