A Brief Review on Electrospun Lignin Nanofibres

Abstract

Application of bio-based materials in various fields is currently gaining momentum; and lignin occupies a prominent place among such materials. Integrating lignin with synthetic plastics is an innovative approach in the development of sustainable polymers. However, blending lignin with other polymers is not an easy process because of its brittleness and low dispersibility. Grafting of lignin with poly(methyl methacrylate) via atom transfer radical polymerisation enhances the miscibility of lignin with other polymers. A number of publications describe the applications of electrospun lignin nanofibres in various fields. Often discarded as an unwanted component this material has a vast potential for various applications. With the advent of electrospinning technique, lignin-based nanofibres used as an alternative to conventional lignin due to its exceptional property and thus find use in various biomedical as well as electronic applications. Antimicrobial properties of these nanofibres could be exploited effectively in the current pandemic situation. Numerous reviews have been lately published on lignin and lignin-based materials. Most of them focus on the applications of lignin, that is why the idea of the present review is to concentrate entirely on lignin-based nanofibres prepared by the electrospinning process and consolidate the applications of these electrospun lignin nanofibres