Abstract
BackgroundLignin is the second most abundant naturally occurring biopolymer from lignocellulosic biomass. While there are several lignin applications, attempts to add value to lignin are hampered by its inherent complex and heterogenous chemical structure. This work assesses the organosolv lignin aggregates behaviour of soluble lignin extract derived from Miscanthus × giganteus using different ethanol concentrations (50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and 1%). The effect of two different lignin concentrations using similar ethanol concentration on the efficacy of esterification was studied.ResultsOverall, particle size of lignin analysis showed that the particle size of lignin aggregates decreased with lower ethanol concentrations. 50% ethanol concentration of soluble lignin extract showed the highest particle size of lignin (3001.8 nm), while 331.7 nm of lignin particle size was recorded at 1% ethanol concentration. Such findings of particle size correlated well with the morphology of the lignin macromolecules. The lignin aggregates appeared to be disaggregated from population of large aggregates to sub-population of small aggregates when the ethanol concentration was reduced. Light microscopy images analysis by ImageJ shows that the average diameter and circularity of the corresponding lignin macromolecules differs according to different ethanol concentrations. The dispersion of lignin aggregates at low ethanol concentration resulted in high availability of hydroxyl group in the soluble lignin extract. The efficacy of the lignin modification via esterification was evidenced directly via FTIR using the similar ethanol concentration of soluble lignin extract at different lignin concentrations.ConclusionThis study provided the understanding of detail analysis on particle size determination, microscopic properties and structural insights of lignin aggregates at wider ethanol concentrations. The esterified lignin derived at 5 mg/mL is suggested to expand greater lignin functionality in the preparation of lignin bio-based materials.
Highlights
Lignin is the second most abundant naturally occurring biopolymer from lignocellulosic biomass
Given that the fact this study was only a preliminary attempt to assess the effect of ethanol concentration on lignin aggregation behaviour, it is hardly surprising that the results showed a complex structural lignin macromolecules dispersion or assembly
In summary, given that the fact of this study was only a preliminary attempt to assess the effect of ethanol concentration on lignin aggregation behaviour, it is hardly surprising that the results showed a complex structural lignin macromolecules dispersion or assembly
Summary
Lignin is the second most abundant naturally occurring biopolymer from lignocellulosic biomass. Despite the fact that it is difficult to use lignin directly in various bio-based material applications such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and polymer composites due to the recovery of lignin from the product stream, purification of lignin, the heterogenous structure of lignin and the reactivity of lignin [4,5,6]. This complexity means that development of isolation techniques and chemical modification to produce a selective product is difficult
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