Structural elucidation of lignins from corncob acid hydrolysis residue by enzymatic mild acidolysis and deep eutectic solvent pretreatment

Abstract

Achieving mild and efficient extraction of high purity lignin from corncob acid hydrolysis residue is essential for efficient lignin application. In this study, enzymatic/mild acidolysis lignin (EMAL) and deep eutectic solvent (DES)-lignin were extracted from corncob acid hydrolysis residue. The structural features of the two lignin fractions were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR). The highest DES-lignin yield of 58.8 wt% was achieved at 120 °C with a choline chloride-to-lactic acid (ChCl-to-Lac) molar ratio of 1:10 and a reaction time of 12 h. The FTIR analysis indicated a higher amount of guaiacyl units in EMAL than DES-lignin. Furthermore, condensation and fragmentation occurred simultaneously under DES pretreatment, but the fragmentation reaction was dominant. The structural characteristics investigated will allow for more effective lignin usage.