Preparation of low carbon impact lignin nanoparticles with controllable size by using different strategies for particles recovery

• Lignin still remains an underutilized plentiful resource whose conversion to high-added value products is a cornerstone towards establishing a viable biomass biorefinery. Bio-materials in the form of nanoparticles represent promising high-value products with numerous downstream applications. The aim of the current work was to develop a method that would allow controlling the size of (birch and spruce) lignin nano- and micro-particles for their subsequent recovery into a solid product. We tested different two-step and one-step isolation processes and demonstrated that particle size could be easily controlled to meet different ranges (<100 nm, <500 nm, and>1 μm). In general, two-step isolation methods, i.e. a step of decrease of solvent concentration followed by isolation of lignin particles, were better for the isolation of well-defined spherical particles. In particular, the rate at which ethanol concentration was decreased played a significant role in determining the size of lignin particles. Moreover, when lignin concentration was increased from 1 % to 5 % and 10 % (w/v), particle size and homogeneity decreased slightly, but productivity augmented. The present study demonstrates that different isolation methods can be applied to obtain renewable, customarily sized, lignin spherical micro- and nano-particles.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Industriell bioteknik -- Bioprocessteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Industrial Biotechnology -- Bioprocess Technology (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Kemiteknik -- Kemiska processer (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Chemical Engineering -- Chemical Process Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Lignin

Nanoparticles

Organosolv

Birch

Spruce

Biokemisk processteknik

Biochemical Process Engineering

Chemical Technology

Kemisk teknologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)