Novel Porous Materials Obtained from Technical Lignins and Their Methacrylate Derivatives Copolymerized with Styrene and Divinylbenzene

Abstract

AbstractThe increasing availability of various types of technical lignins as result of the emergence of new biorefinery technologies has boosted the interest in the commercialization of lignin‐based materials. Here we suggest a novel method for the preparation of uniform porous microspheres through emulsion‐suspension polymerization of various technical lignins and related methacrylates with styrene (St) and divinylbenzene (DVB). Obtained microspheres have diameters in the range of 5–50 μm, with a more uniform shape for copolymers that contains lignin derivatives. Nitrogen sorption with DFT theory indicates that the microspheres are mesoporous materials with specific surface areas in the range of 230–270 m2g−1 but with significant differences in pore volume, especially in the mesopores size range (0–0.65 cm3g−1). Theoretical modeling of lignin alone and in St‐DVB composites shows changes in polarity of the structures, which have become mosaics with hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalities. This structure affects the properties of the interfacial water and, therefore, can affect the adsorption of both polar and nonpolar adsorbates in solid‐phase extraction.