Abstract
Lignin has great potential for utilization as a green raw material or as an additive in various industrial applications, such as energy, valuable chemicals, or cost-effective materials. In this study, we assessed a commercial form of lignin isolated using LignoBoost technology (LB lignin) as well as three other types of lignin (two samples of non-wood lignins and one hardwood kraft lignin) isolated from the waste liquors produced during the pulping process. Measurements were taken for elemental analysis, methoxyl and ash content, higher heating values, thermogravimetric analysis, and molecular weight determination. We found that the elemental composition of the isolated lignins affected their thermal stability, activation energies, and higher heating values. The lignin samples examined showed varying amounts of functional groups, inorganic component compositions, and molecular weight distributions. Mean activation energies ranged from 93 to 281 kJ/mol. Lignins with bimodal molecular weight distribution were thermally decomposed in two stages, whereas the LB lignin showing a unimodal molecular weight distribution was decomposed in a single thermal stage. Based on its thermal properties, the LB lignin may find direct applications in biocomposites where a higher thermal resistance is required.
Highlights
Lignins have been recently identified as a major potential source of aromatic renewable resources.They represent an excellent alternative feedstock in the production of chemicals and polymers
The difficulties in lignin valorization are mainly attributed to the complexity and recalcitrance structure of lignins, and the high reactivity of the degraded fractions of lignins, which are prone to condensation reactions [6]
The impact of various lignin resources and different separation processes resulted in different elemental compositions in the isolated lignin samples, including different elemental ratios of O/C and
Summary
Lignins have been recently identified as a major potential source of aromatic renewable resources. They represent an excellent alternative feedstock in the production of chemicals and polymers. The difficulties in lignin valorization are mainly attributed to the complexity and recalcitrance structure of lignins, and the high reactivity of the degraded fractions of lignins, which are prone to condensation reactions [6]. These condensation reactions may be useful in the preparation of various polymeric materials, composites, hydrogels, etc. Condensation reactions and the cross-linking of desulfurized kraft lignin with triethyl phosphate have been used for preparing insoluble, hardened resins [3,7,8]
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