A New Methodology to Elucidate Lignin Structure-Properties-Performance Correlation

• Unveiling the interrelation between the lignin structure, its properties and performance inspecific applications is of primary importance for lignin engineering for high-value products.Herein, we suggest a new efficient methodology to quantitatively evaluate the roles of ligninspecific functionalities in selected applications. The method is based on changing only onestructural variable at a time, while keeping all others constant prior to performance evaluation.Indulin AT (a softwood Kraft lignin) was subjected to a set of chemical modifications byselectively masking its aliphatic (AlipOH), phenolic OH (PhOH), carboxyl (COOH) andcarbonyl (CO) groups. The property-performance correlation was demonstrated by measuringthe glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the modified lignins. The effect of the modificationson the adsorption performance of the modified lignins was evaluated towards methylene blue.This approach clearly demonstrated that PhOH and AlipOH groups have about equalcontribution (50% each) to the lignin adsorption capacity, while the role of the other functionalgroups is insignificant. 

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Nanoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Nano-technology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

lignin

structure-properties-performance correlation

sorbents

thermal properties

Engineering Science with specialization in Nanotechnology and Functional Materials

Teknisk fysik med inriktning mot nanoteknologi och funktionella material

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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