TY - JOUR
T1 - Lignin-First Integrated Hydrothermal Treatment (HTT) and Synthesis of Low-Cost Biorefinery Particles
AU - Lourencon, Tainise V.
AU - Greca, Luiz G.
AU - Tarasov, Dmitry
AU - Borrega, Marc
AU - Tamminen, Tarja
AU - Rojas, Orlando J.
AU - Balakshin, Mikhail Y.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Hydrothermal treatments (HTT) are used in the biorefineries to effectively valorize carbohydrate fractions and their products. However, lignin is often marginalized as a secondary component. Herein, we propose a new biorefinery approach focused on lignin valorization. We demonstrate that high-value lignins can be extracted using a simple, green, and affordable process consisting of an optimized HTT followed by lignin extraction with aqueous acetone under ambient conditions. Significantly, the chemical structure and molecular mass of the lignin can be tailored by the selection of the process variables while maintaining a high yield, in the range of ∼60-90%. For example, the average molecular mass (Mw) of the isolated lignins is in the range between 2.5 and 5 kDa, while the amount of β-O-4 linkages is 4-28 per 100 Ar. The extracted lignins are further used to generate micro- and nanoparticles by using an aerosol flow system. The introduced lignin profiling affords control of particle properties, including average size and distribution, surface energy, and wettability. Overall, the suggested approach allows customization of lignin products while achieving a 58% reduction in the lignin particles production costs compared to the lowest prime figures reported so far.
AB - Hydrothermal treatments (HTT) are used in the biorefineries to effectively valorize carbohydrate fractions and their products. However, lignin is often marginalized as a secondary component. Herein, we propose a new biorefinery approach focused on lignin valorization. We demonstrate that high-value lignins can be extracted using a simple, green, and affordable process consisting of an optimized HTT followed by lignin extraction with aqueous acetone under ambient conditions. Significantly, the chemical structure and molecular mass of the lignin can be tailored by the selection of the process variables while maintaining a high yield, in the range of ∼60-90%. For example, the average molecular mass (Mw) of the isolated lignins is in the range between 2.5 and 5 kDa, while the amount of β-O-4 linkages is 4-28 per 100 Ar. The extracted lignins are further used to generate micro- and nanoparticles by using an aerosol flow system. The introduced lignin profiling affords control of particle properties, including average size and distribution, surface energy, and wettability. Overall, the suggested approach allows customization of lignin products while achieving a 58% reduction in the lignin particles production costs compared to the lowest prime figures reported so far.
KW - Autohydrolysis
KW - Biorefinery
KW - Lignin valorization
KW - Lignocellulose
KW - Nanoparticles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078811443&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06511
DO - 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06511
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85078811443
SN - 2168-0485
VL - 8
SP - 1230
EP - 1239
JO - ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
JF - ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
IS - 2
ER -