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Beech sawdust was treated with a ternary solvent system based on binary aqueous ethanol with partial substitution of ethanol by acetone at four different water contents (60, 50, 40, and 30%v/v). In addition to standard, i.e., noncatalyzed treatments, the application of inorganic acid in the form of 20 mm H2SO4 was evaluated. The various solvent systems were applied at 180 °C for 60 min. The obtained biomass fractions were characterized by standard biomass compositional methods, i.e., sugar monomer and oligomer contents, dehydration product contents of the aqueous product, and lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents in isolated solid fractions. More advanced analyses were performed on the lignin fractions, including quantitative 13C NMR analyses, 1H-13C HSQC analysis, size exclusion chromatography, and pyrolysis-GC/MS, and the aqueous product, in the form of size exclusion chromatography and determination of total phenol contents. The picture emerging from the thorough analytical investigation performed on the lignin fractions is consistent with that resulting from the characterization of the other fractions: results point toward greater deconstruction of the lignocellulosic recalcitrance upon higher organic solvent content, replacing ethanol with acetone during the extraction, and upon addition of mineral acid. A pulp with cellulose content of 94.23 wt % and 95% delignification was obtained for the treatment employing a 55/30/15 EtOH/water/acetone mixture alongside 20 mm H2SO4. Furthermore, the results indicate the formation of two types of organosolv furan families during treatment, which differ in the substitution of their C1 and C5. While the traditional lignin aryl-ether linkages present themselves as indicators for process severity for the nonacid catalyzed systems, the distribution of these furan types can be applied as a severity indicator upon employment of H2SO4, including their presence in the isolated lignin fractions.

The ever faster changing socioeconomic and environmental conditions require more than ever a proper valorisation of renewable biomass. Lignin, as one of the main components of land-based renewable biomass, is receiving ever more attention also as starting material for the production of monomeric value-added aromatic molecules, and/or fuels. While lignin depolymerisation, or degradation, can be done in form of a ‘black-box’ approach, a more reasonable and desirable fashion would be a structure-based approach. The presented overview presents the research field ‘lignin degradation’ starting from a short introduction regarding lignin and its structural understanding, to then enter the traditional area of wet-chemical lignin degradation. Discussion is then expanded to catalytic conversion processes and biotechnological depolymerisation approaches. The chapter will finish with a hint on thermal and electrochemical methods for lignin degradation.

Curing cancer presents a series of difficulties, with the pressing one being concerned with targeting selectively cancer cells. Equally important are aspects of the diagnosis and the monitoring of treatment efficacy. [1] This study aims at optimizing an innovative combined drug delivery and diagnosis system, i.e., a theragnosis approach, which is based on drug-loaded multifunctional tannin-based microcapsules (TMCs).[2] The envisaged system exploits the overexpressed folate receptors naturally present on cancer cells[3] for a targeted delivery mechanism via folate moieties that are linked via PEG chains to the capsule surfaces. Simple PEG moieties are surrounding these receptors in form of a stealth system lowering premature metabolic digestions. With the additional encapsulation of an anticancer drug like 5-Fluorouracil, a concomitant controlled release of an active principle at the cancer site is achieved. Diagnosis-relevance is brought into the system in form of MRI-active metal cations such as Gadolinium(III) incorporated into the shell, exploiting the metal-complexing characteristics of the shell material. The TMCs are generated by ultrasonicating a biphasic system comprising an aqueous solution of tannin or functionalized tannin, providing the eventually functionalized shell material as well as the Gd(III) salt, and an olive oil phase that functions as core material while being suitable to host the active. Resulting tannin microcapsules are characterised by means of optical and transmission electron microscopy. TMCs sizes have been determined using DLS analyses while zeta potential measurements revealed structural arrangements on the surfaces. Encapsulation efficiency and release studies were conducted for monitoring active release. Biological tests performed so far using standard capsule systems and the stained variants do not indicate any toxicity against the zebrafish embryos.

This study, in collaboration with the Arvedi Laboratory of Non-Invasive Diagnostics (University of Pavia) at the Museo del Violino of Cremona, aimed at developing a new hydrogel system for the cleaning of historical wooden surfaces, with a particular focus on string musical instruments. The cleaning of historical wooden instrument is traditionally performed using free water-based solvent, which are able to remove pollutants like dirt, soil and human sweat. However, due to the hydrophilic character of wooden surfaces, the loading of water should be localized in specific areas, avoiding excessive solvent leaching and the consequent damage risks. Konjac glucomannan (KGM), a biopolymer of natural origin, was chosen for our study because of its ability to absorb and retain significant amounts of water through its high content of hydroxyl groups. Hydrogel formulation as proposed in previous studies [1], consisting of KGM crosslinked with borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate), was optimized, and an improved crosslinking method involving boric acid and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was introduced, resulting in uniformly crosslinked gels with enhanced moisture retention and elasticity. KGM polymer matrix was also subsequently modified with natural polyphenols (PPs), in order to provide an alternative sustainable crosslinking option alongside the introduction of antioxidant properties and protection against UV radiation [2]. Three PPs have been selected to implement the modification: softwood kraft lignin (SKL), Vitis Vinifera tannin (Vv) and tannic acid (TA). PPs have additionally been functionalized with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to allow for a covalent bonding between the PP and KGM and to induce self-polymerization of the PP for reducing leaching especially of smaller PPs from the gel to the treated surface. Various analytical techniques were employed to characterize the starting PPs and their derivatives, and to analyze the morphology and moisture properties of the hydrogels comp

The biotechnological conversion of lignocellulosic biomass is an interesting option within the development and refinement of biorefinery processes. While the use of enzymes for cellulose conversion is essentially matured, enzymatic (downstream) valorisation of lignins using enzymatic processes continues to pose challenges. When thinking of lignocellulosic enzymes for such processes, the mentioned challenges derive from a lack of control of polymerisation/re-polymerisation, loss of enzymatic activity due to adverse environments generated by the compromise between enzyme needs and lignin solubility, enzyme inhibition, etc. Some of these challenges can eventually be circumvented rethinking the set-up for doing enzymatic lignin transformations. One aspect of such a rethinking could involve the use of more dynamic reaction settings, avoiding long contact times between enzyme and the products they have formed. This can be eventually facilitated going for flow chemistry principles, applied to the enzymatic lignin transformation. We present here results obtained for the use of some commercially available laccases (EC 1.10.3.2), treated in various modes to be used in a flow chemical setting for downstream lignin valorisations, including degradation and functionalisation. The presentation will highlight the challenges encountered and connected with enzyme manipulation and the incorporation of immobilised enzymes in experimental flow reactors. Scope and limitations of this approach are presented using targeted example transformation, and obtained results will also be discussed in light of process- and set-up-dependent kinetic aspects.

Organosolv lignins (OSLs) are important byproducts of the cellulose-centred biorefinery that need to be converted in high value-added products for economic viability. Yet, OSLs occasionally display characteristics that are unexpected looking at the lignin motifs present. Applying advanced NMR, GPC, and thermal analyses, isolated spruce lignins were analysed to correlate organosolv process severity to the structural details for delineating potential valorisations. Very mild conditions were found to not fractionate the biomass, causing a mix of sugars, lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs), and corresponding dehydration/degradation products and including pseudo-lignins. Employing only slightly harsher conditions promote fractionation, but also formation of sugar degradation structures that covalently incorporate into the oligomeric and polymeric lignin structures, causing the isolated organosolv lignins to contain lignin-humin hybrid (HLH) structures not yet evidenced as such in organosolv lignins. These structures effortlessly explain observed unexpected solubility issues and unusual thermal responses, and their presence might have to be acknowledged in downstream lignin valorisation.

The moisture resistance of friction-welded wood joints can be improved by applying bio-based bonding additives. Several biomolecules including tannic acid, organosolv lignin from hardwood, kraft lignin from softwood, and derivates thereof, were investigated regarding their applicability as bonding additives in the friction welding process. Welding with kraft lignin showed significantly increased moisture stability after 24 h water immersion. An average wet bond strength of 1.5 MPa compared to 0.38 MPa of untreated spruce was obtained. Modification of kraft lignin through succinylation, acetylation or depolymerisation led to no further improvement in moisture stability. Depolymerised kraft lignin resulted in an even higher delamination rate of the samples during water immersion than untreated samples. Structural analysis of the lignin variations by FTIR-ATR, GPC and 31P NMR in combination with thermal analysis by TGA and DSC showed the impact of various structural and chemical features on the thermal behaviour and intermolecular interactions of the applied lignin.

Advancements in fluidized bed pyrolysis mechanisms and analytical methodologies are critical for progress in the biorefinery sector in general and the aviation fuel sector in particular. The statistical modelling of pyrolysis product yields and composition allowed us to observe advantages of operating temperature and feedstock selections over the torrefaction process and catalyst addition in a fluidized bed reactor. Results suggest that the chemical composition and physical properties of bio-oil from pyrolysis of olive stones at 600°C and pinewood pellets at 500°C are the most suitable for use as fuels. This work suggests that only combined use of selected gas chromatography mass spectroscopy, UV fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and rheology can provide comprehensive information on pyrolysis bio-oil composition. Importantly from a technological point of view, bio-oil was characterized i) by a viscosity similar to that of fossil-based oil; ii) by a low oxygen and water content; and iii) by a balanced composition of aliphatic and aromatic species. These factors indicate that bio-oil from fluidized bed pyrolysis of biomasses is a promising material for use in the aviation industry and energy production.

Salicylate and benzoate sunscreen agents have been encapsulated by the green, fast and robust ultrasound technique in tannin microcapsules (TMCs). The generated TMCs, obtained without use of cross linking agents, were fully characterised, including encapsulation efficiencies with respect to the encapsulated actives. Release kinetics of TMCs have been studied mimicking skin conditions. Body cream base samples containing specific concentrations of microcapsules filled with sunscreen actives were prepared and showed synergistic effects in terms of UV-protection abilities generated by the interplay between sunscreen actives and natural tannin polyphenols. The synergistic effect exerted by the tannin and the controlled active release allows to reduce the amount of synthetic sunscreens needed, and does thus contribute to the development of more sustainable and environmentally benign UV-protection systems.

Background: Tannins have demonstrated antibacterial and antibiofilm activity, but there are still unknown aspects on how the chemical properties of tannins affect their biological properties. We are interested in understanding how to modulate the antibiofilm activity of tannins and in delineating the relationship between chemical determinants and antibiofilm activity. Materials and methods: The effect of five different naturally acquired tannins and their chemical derivatives on biofilm formation and planktonic growth of Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was determined in the Calgary biofilm device. Results: Most of the unmodified tannins exhibited specific antibiofilm activity against the assayed bacteria. The chemical modifications were found to alter the antibiofilm activity level and spectrum of the tannins. A positive charge introduced by derivatization with higher amounts of ammonium groups shifted the anti-biofilm spectrum toward Gram-negative bacteria, and derivatization with lower amounts of ammonium groups and acidifying derivatization shifted the spectrum toward Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, the quantity of phenolic OH-groups per molecule was found to have a weak impact on the anti-biofilm activity of the tannins. Conclusion: We were able to modulate the antibiofilm activity of several tannins by specific chemical modifications, providing a first approach for fine tuning of their activity and antibacterial spectrum.

Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the most important renewable materials to replace carbon-based fossil resources. Solvent-based fractionation is a promising route for fractionation of biomass into its major components. Processing is governed by the employed solvent-systems properties. This review sheds light on the factors governing both dissolution and potential reactivities of the chemical structures present in lignocellulose, highlighting how proper understanding of the underlying mechanisms and interactions between solute and solvent help to choose proper systems for specific fractionation needs. Structural and chemical differences between the carbohydrate-based structural polymers and lignin require very different solvents capabilities in terms of causing and eventually stabilizing conformational changes and consequent activation of bonds to be cleaved by other active components in the. A consideration of potential depolymerization events during dissolution and energetic aspects of the dissolution process considering the contribution of polymer functionalities allow for a mapping of solvent suitability for biomass fractionation.

Conversion of organosolv lignins isolated with and without an inorganic acid catalyst (H2SO4) from hard- and softwood (birch and spruce) into bio-oil through hydrothermal liquefaction has been investigated. Furthermore, fractions of the isolated bio-oils were catalytically deoxygenated to improve the bio-oil properties. As elucidated through NMR, both biomass source and extraction mode influence the bio-oil product distribution. Depending on whether the lignins carry a high content of native structures, or are depolymerized and subsequently condensed in the presence of sugar dehydration products, will dictate heavy oil (HO) and light oil (LO) distribution, and skew the HO product composition, which again will influence the requirements upon catalytical deoxygenation.

Lignins and lignans as natural polyphenols exhibit a rather broad variety of common physico-chemical features that can be of interest with respect to their use in the pharmaceutical sector. While polyphenol types have antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antibacterial and eventually antiviral activities in common, structural features beyond the polyphenol aspect differ enormously: isolated lignins are oligomers and/or polymers of monolignol C9-building blocks, while lignans are based on dimers thereof. The structural differences caused lignin to be exploited in the pharmaceutical sector mainly as material for the generation of matrices and carrier for drug delivery, while lignans are tested for the suitability as APIs. The chapter gives an overview of this situation, including the biological backgrounds of the two interesting natural polyphenols, isolation and methods for their characterisation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the pyrolysis products of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRC), and block co-polymers (PS-b-P2VP and PS-b-P4VP). The studied PHA samples were produced at temperatures of 15 and 50 oC (PHA15 and PHA50), and commercially obtained from GlasPort Bio (PHAc). Initially, PHA samples were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to determine the molecular weight, and structure of the polymers. Thermal techniques such as thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses were performed for PHA, CFRC, and block co-polymers to investigate the degradation temperature range and thermal stability of samples. Fast pyrolysis (500 oC, ∼102 °C s−1) experiments were conducted for all samples in a wire mesh reactor to investigate tar products and char yields. The tar compositions were investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and statistical modeling was performed. The char yields of block co-polymers and PHA samples (<2 wt. %) were unequivocally less than that of the PET sample (~10.7 wt. %). All PHA compounds contained a large fraction of ethyl cyclopropane carboxylate (~ 38–58 %), whereas PAH15 and PHA50 additionally showed a large quantity of 2-butenoic acid (~8–12 %). The PHAc sample indicated the presence of considerably high amount of methyl ester (~15 %), butyl citrate (~12.9 %), and tributyl ester (~17 %). The compositional analyses of the liquid fraction of the PET and block co-polymers have shown carcinogenic and toxic properties. Pyrolysis removed matrices in the CRFC composites which is an indication of potential recovery of the original fibers.

Formation of amide bonds is of immanent importance in organic and synthetic medicinal chemistry. Its presence in “traditional” small-molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, in linear or cyclic oligo- and polypeptidic actives, including pseudopeptides, has led to the development of dedicated synthetic approaches for the formation of amide bonds starting from, if necessary, suitably protected amino acids. While the use of solid supported reagents is common in traditional peptide synthesis, similar approaches targeting amide bond formation in continuous-flow mode took off more significantly, after a first publication in 2006, only a couple of years ago. Most efforts rely upon the transition of traditional approaches in flow mode, or the combination of solid-phase peptide synthesis principles with flow chemistry, and advantages are mainly seen in improving space-time yields. This Review summarizes and compares the various approaches in terms of basic amide formation, peptide synthesis, and pseudopeptide generation, describing the technological approaches and the advantages that were generated by the specific flow approaches. A final discussion highlights potential future needs and perspectives in terms of greener and more sustainable syntheses.

Background Group schema therapy (GST) is increasingly popular as a treatment for personality disorders (PDs), including Cluster-C PDs. Individual ST has proven to be effective for Cluster-C PD patients, while the evidence for GST is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of GST for Cluster-C PD. Moreover, differ- ences between the specific Cluster-C PDs (avoidant PD, dependent PD and obsessive-compulsive PD) were explored. Methods A multicentre open trial was conducted, including 137 patients with a Cluster-C PD (avoidant PD: n = 107, dependent PD: n = 11 and obsessive- compulsive PD: n = 19). Patients received 30 weekly GST sessions with a maximum of 180 min of individual ST and five optional monthly booster sessions. Outcome measures including Cluster-C PD severity, general psychopathological symptoms, quality of life, functional impairment, happiness, PD-related beliefs, self-esteem, self- ideal discrepancy, schemas and schema modes were assessed at baseline until 2-year follow-up with semi-structured interviews and self-report measures. Change over time and differences between the specific Cluster-C PDs were analysed with mixed regression analyses. Results The outcome measures showed significant improvements for all Cluster-C PDs, with medium to large effect sizes after 2 years. A treatment dropout rate of 11.7% was found. There were some indications for differences between the Cluster-C PDs in severity at baseline, change trajectories and effectiveness of GST. Conclusions This study demonstrated that GST is a promising treatment for Cluster-C PDs. The following step is a randomized controlled trial to further document the (cost-)effectiveness of GST.

In recent years, industries are increasingly more concerned about sustainability and climate change. This and the depletion of natural resources turned waste biomasses into an attractive and sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials. Lignin is one of the three main components of lignocellulosic biomass and it is the most abundant aromatic biopolymer on the planet. However, its intrinsic recalcitrance and highly heterogeneous nature hinder its conversion into high value-added products. Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) have attracted particular attention since their size and higher surface area could help on the promotion of lignin valorisation. Efforts are made to improve their stability at high pH values (>9) and in organic solvents, and to increase compatibility with polymer matrixes. In this study we present a novel method to obtain surface functionalized LNPs by taking advantage of their self-assembly mechanisms. Firstly, two fractions of Kraft lignin are obtained by organic solvent treatment. The low molecular weight phenolic rich soluble fraction is then reacted with epichlorohydrin to produce glycidyl derivatives. LNPs are then made via a two-step anti-solvent procedure, which allows obtaining particles constituted by a high molecular weight insoluble fraction core and an epoxidized soluble fraction shell. Epoxy groups present on the outer shell of the particles can be then exploited in two different manners. One is the thermal treatment of the suspension which allows tailored cross-linking reactions: intraparticle that helps increase stability in harsh conditions (pH and solvent) and/or interparticle to produce nanoclusters. The second one is to use epoxy groups as a platform for further functionalization through well-known amine-epoxy reactions.

As a natural polyphenol present in useful quantities in a variety of renewable resources that is extracted via traditional and novel biorefinery concepts, lignin offers characteristics that are potentially interesting for applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. With respect to these applications that currently predominantly comprise drug delivery concepts, available lignins confer different structural and physical–chemical features to the realised drug delivery vehicles and/or matrices, such as chemical and mechanical stability profiles, release kinetics of encapsulated or entrapped or adsorbed actives, and toxicology profiles. This chapter will briefly discuss the essential criteria for relevant drug delivery vehicles, highlight the structural features of various lignins that have been used for realising pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, and disclose in a critical discussion real potential and neglected difficulties in terms of toxicology and regulatory aspects.

Conversion of biomass into biochar via pyrolysis processes is a common approach in biomass valorisation, since both the components in the condensed phase as well as the char residues eventually represent higher value materials than the starting biomass. Processes are commonly optimised looking at the gaseous components, neglecting the formation process of the biochar and thus its characteristics, ultimately artificially limiting its valorisation potential. Our collaborative project revisits biochar formation from technical lignins, including detailed characterization not only of the condensed phase, but also of the solid phase. Preliminary results generated suggest that it is possible to tune biochar formation conditions such as to produce materials from lignin that are not completely depleted in lignin-typical motifs and/or lignin-typical functional groups, especially oxygen-containing functionalities, and hence still comprise the possibility to perform subsequent valorisation steps towards higher value-added products. Process parameters are optimised for favouring formation of ‘reactive’ biochar, and tuning of biochar formation includes the use of binary mixtures of technical lignins and used polyethylene and polypropylene, such as to arrive at structural characteristics not achievable using only one of the components. The ‘reactive’ biochar such as to produce starting materials for the formation of high value-added performance materials, including electrospun fibrous mats and nanoparticles, eventually transformable in carbon fibre mats and carbon dots, respectively. ‘Reactive’ biochar is tested with respect to the production of char that redox-actively binds metal components, for applications as catalysts.

The ill-famous structurally diversity encountered in lignins, stemming from the varying, plant-specific ratio between the three monomers and the variety of inter-unit linkages, displays different susceptibilities towards different chemical treatments. This generates additional complexity in the structural and hence chemical and physical properties of the polyphenolic end-isolate, including solubility, thermal stability, reactivity profile, etc. Mechanical pretreatments can eventually be applied alongside suitable chemical systems with or without addition of catalysts to facilitate biomass fractionation and lignin isolation. A physical mode often applied to the fractionation of lignocellulosic material is steam explosion (SE), with this method primarily applied for the depolymerisation of hemicellulose and the extraction of sugar species. Among the most promising chemical methods for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass are organosolv (OS) processes. Most common organic solvents used comprise ethanol, but process variations using small organic acids, i.e., formic acid and acetic acid have been proposed and pushed to larger scales. As of now only few works investigated combinations of two promising modes of pretreatment in form of combined SE-OS processes, with respect to potential synergies and the impact of variations in process parameters such as time and acidity on the characteristics of the resulting lignin isolates,[2,3] and thus the suitability for potential downstream valorisations. The detailed structural analysis of spruce lignins generated via a SE-OS process showed the typical lignin motifs one could expect, alongside sugar residues and hints of lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs). While trends observable in the quantified 1H-13C HSQC analysis for the interunit bonding motifs and the relative abundances of the sugar residues correlated with process severity, a set of signals was detectable for certain process conditions that did not correspond to comm

Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) are considered as intriguing green, renewable alternatives to fossil-based nanomaterials. However, the predisposition of LNPs to dissolve under alkaline conditions makes covalent surface functionalisation in the dispersion state difficult and limits applications demanding morphological stability under challenging pH conditions. Mechanistic studies suggest that during the formation of LNPs by nanoprecipitation the higher molecular weight fractions of lignin likely start precipitating first, while the low molecular weight fractions tend to deposit later and thus locate on the outer shell. Capitalising this aggregation pattern, the present work presents a strategy to prepare surface-functionalised LNPs that can find applications as adhesives and alkaline stable LNPs. The entire process is based on a single-step solvent fractionation of lignin using either ethanol or ethyl acetate, subsequent functionalisation of selected fractions with epichlorohydrin, and recombination according to the original mass proportions in line with the so-called zero waste principle. Aqueous colloidal dispersions of lignins were synthesised by nanoprecipitation of epoxidised low molecular weight (MW) fractions combined with the corresponding unmodified high MW ones, and vice versa. Upon thermal treatment, LNPs containing the epoxidised insoluble fraction underwent intraparticle crosslinking, proving dimensional stability at pH 12. Conversely, LNPs including epoxidised solvent-soluble fractions resulted in interparticle crosslinking upon heating, which confirmed the surface localisation of such low MW fractions. The latter system was exploited to develop green LNP-based adhesives for aminated glass with lap shear strength outperforming prior adhesive systems based on lignin particles.

Water electrolysis represents a promising technology for green hydrogen production, necessitating the development of efficient and stable electrodes. In this study, we present the design and characterization of an innovative hybrid anodic electrode that incorporates a synergistic combination of magnesium ferrite (MF), hard carbon (HC), and ruthenium oxide (RuO2). Commercial electrodes typically consist of single materials with limited catalytic activity and durability. In contrast, the hybrid anodic electrode demonstrates significant improvements in electrochemical efficiency. The MF component serves as a robust supporting structure, providing thermal stability and corrosion resistance, ensuring prolonged electrode lifespan during the electrolysis process. The inclusion of HC, derived from lignin pyrolysis, offers conductivity and a porous surface that facilitates ion diffusion. The addition of RuO2 as a catalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) enhances overall electrochemical efficiency, promoting oxygen generation at the anode during water electrolysis. Comprehensive analyses were conducted using electrochemical, structural, and morphological characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), specific surface area determination using the BET analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These analyses provide detailed insights into the structure, chemical composition, and surface properties of the hybrid anodic electrode.

Biochar is a promising catalyst for hydrogen production in the biomass gasification process. Based on preliminary results, it seems possible to regulate the formation conditions (heating rate, process temperature, reaction time) of biochar from thermochemical processes applied to lignin in such a way as to produce materials that maintain some of the typical functional groups of lignin, particularly in terms of oxygen-containing functionalities, and that can therefore be appropriately modified for the production of higher value-added products. Lignin-based biochar has been investigated using different technical lignins in order to understand, based on their functional characteristics, which ones could be opportunely functionalized to be used as a catalyst in gasification processes. Four different technical lignins, namely two different kraft lignins and two different organosolv lignins, were tested; for comparison, lignosulfonate lignin and alkali lignin, both, were also studied. Biochars from the various lignins have been obtained by vacuum pyrolysis using a new heating system with a heating rate of 700°C per minute. Samples were heated up to 600°C, and temperature was held for 2 minutes; the process is suitable to avoid possible side reactions, as well as condensation reactions and formation of unwanted products. Biochar so obtained was characterized by specific surface and porosity analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Liquid and gaseous fractions formed during the thermal processes were analysed by a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. During the pyrolysis process, phenolic compounds and/or AHs can be produced, showing promising applications in biochemical intermediates and biofuel additives. From the preliminary results, lignosulphonate and alkaline lignins seem to be the most reluctant to react, highlighting an unsuitability for the formation of a functionalizable bio

Heiko Lange is Associate Professor at the University Milano-Bicocca and Associate Visiting Professor at Luleå University of Technology. HL’s research comprises the use of natural polyphenols for nanostructured functional particles, capsules and fibres for controlled and targeted drug delivery purposes, their isolation as well as their chemical and biotechnological modification for various fields of applications. The basis of all these activities is a good structural understanding of the polyphenol starting materials. In this webinar HL will present on the use of quantitative 31P NMR in combination with (quantitative & quantifiable) HSQC (and other useful analysis tools) for studying the structure of technical lignins.