Molecular Weight Lignin Research Articles

Evaluating efficacy of different UV-stabilizers/absorbers in reducing UV-degradation of lignin

Abstract Susceptibility of wood to UV degradation decreases the service life of wood products outdoors. Organic UV absorbers (UVAs) and hindered amine light stabilizers (HALSs), as well as inorganic UVAs, are added to coatings to improve the UV stability of coated-wood products. Although about 85% of UV radiation is absorbed by lignin in the wood, it is unclear which UV stabilizers can minimize lignin degradation. In this study, the photodegradation of softwood organosolv lignin was monitored over 35 days of UV exposure. Changes in lignin properties were assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P NMR). It was found that the aromatic rings of lignin underwent significant degradation, resulting in increased glass transition temperature and molecular weight of lignin. Subsequently, 18 different additives were mixed with lignin and exposed to UV irradiation. The analysis of samples before and after UV exposure with FTIR revealed that inorganic UVAs (cerium oxide and zinc oxide) and a mixture of organic UVAs and HALSs (T-479/T-292, T-5248, and T-5333) were the most effective additives in reducing lignin degradation. This study can help coating scientists to formulate more durable transparent exterior wood coatings.

Effect of Alkali and 1,4-Butanediol Contents on the Extraction of Lignin and Lignin-Based Activated Carbon.

In the process of lignin extraction by the organic solvent method, the amount of alkali and the content of 1,4-butanediol are important conditions that affect lignin yield. The effects of alkali and alcohol contents on lignin recovery, removal rate, and structure were studied. In this reaction system, the removal rate of lignin increased with the increase of alkali content but decreased with the increase of alcohol content. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis showed that the phenol hydroxyl group and the ether bond in lignin had different trends in different alkali and 1,4-butanediol environments, and four different infrared parameters in lignin had an obvious linear relationship. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) results showed that high alkali content and high 1,4-butanediol content could lead to the fragmentation of lignin. In addition, lignin extracted from alkali-quantity factor series was selected to prepare activated carbon, CaCl2 was selected as the activator, and its effects were studied. Results showed that in the process of extracting lignin, on the one hand, NaOH content affects the functional groups of activated carbon by affecting the aromatic structure of lignin; on the other hand, the NaOH content affects the graphitization degree and specific surface area of activated carbon by affecting the removal rate and the molecular weight of lignin.

γ-Valerolactone/water system for lignin fractionation to enhance antibacterial and antioxidant capacities

• A simple and green method for fractionating lignin by γ-valerolactone was proposed. • Lignin fractionation mechanism was investigated through solvatochromic parameters. • Mechanisms of improving antibacterial/antioxidant activities were proposed. • The low molecular weight lignin had excellent antibacterial/antioxidant properties. • The recovered γ-valerolactone had excellent lignin fractionation performance. In this study, γ-valerolactone, a green and recyclable organic solvent, was applied to fractionate organosolv lignin. The original lignin was dissolved in 60% γ-valerolactone/water solution, and sequentially sedimentated in 50%, 40%, 30%, and 1% γ-valerolactone aqueous solution with the addition of water afterwards, producing four fractions (L1, L2, L3, and L4). Multiple analytical methods were used to characterize the lignin fractions in detail. Results manifested that weight average molecular weight of lignin decreased gradually from 7900 (L1) to 1890 g/mol (L4), and the total phenolic hydroxyl content increased from 2.18 (L2) to 2.80 mmol/g (L4). Here, due to the increase of water content in the solvent system, the hydrogen bond capacity with lignin decreased and the solvent polarizability increased. Therefore, the solubility of high molecular weight lignin with low polar groups (hydroxyl and carboxyl) decreased, thus realizing the sequential fractionation of lignin. DPPH and agar diffusion test results indicated that low molecular weight lignin exhibited good antimicrobial/antioxidant activities, which was mainly due to the positive effects of the phenolic hydroxyl content and side chain structure of lignin. The mechanisms of improving antibacterial/antioxidant activities of lignin were proposed for potential practical applications.

Comparison of organic acid-based organosolv lignins extracted from the residues of five annual crops

Organosolv lignins were extracted from corn stover, wheat, rice straw, reed straw, and sugarcane bagasse using a mixture of acetic and formic acids, at relatively low temperature and atmospheric pressure. Lignin content, residual carbohydrates, ash levels, proteins, and molecular weights were determined in each extracted lignin. The lignin content of all samples was relatively high, confirming the performance of the pretreatment process. The low molecular weights were in a narrow range, in accordance with the organosolv lignin molar masses. However, some differences between studied lignins were highlighted, in particular in rice straw lignin, which contained the highest silica, calcium, and nitrogen contents. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies (31P and semi-quantitative Heteronuclear Single Quantum Correlation) underlined the structural similarities and differences between these organosolv lignins. Corn stover and sugarcane bagasse lignins were rich in non-methoxylated (H-Unit) or mono-methoxylated (G-Unit) phenolic units, making them the best promising candidates for production of phenolic resins. Wheat straw lignin was richer in aliphatic OH than in phenolic OH. This is an advantage for use as polyol substitute in polyurethane synthesis. Reed straw lignin was less specific, with a balanced content of OH groups. However, it contained a high concentration of β-O-4 linkages, which is favorable for depolymerization.

Monitoring and assessment of the effect of benzo (a) pyrene for coniferous and deciduous plants in anthropogenically polluted areas

Benzo (a) pyrene content in plants and soils in anthropogenically polluted areas pollution was monitored. The influence of benzo (a) pyrene on conifers and deciduous plants was assessed. In forests with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula) trunks, the content of lignin, cellulose, and extractive low molecular weight polar substances was determined by the concentration of benzo (a) pyrene and tree species. In forest ecosystems, the background content of carcinogen (1–5 μg / kg) did not affect the content of lignin and cellulose, but stimulated the synthesis of extractive substances, especially in birch. For pine, there was a direct correlation between the concentration of benzo (a) pyrene in two -year-old needles and its peroxidase activity. An increase in the activity of oxidoreductases and their participation in the synthesis of phenolic, tannin and other organic (extractive) substances, depending on the concentration of benzo (a) pyrene, indicate its biostimulating properties. Various physiological and biochemical reactions in woody and herbaceous plants were analyzed depending on the concentration (dose) of benzo (a) pyrene in the composition of plants and in soils polluted by anthropogenic emissions. Opposite reactions of coniferous and leafy trees to benzo (a) pyrene were observed. On the basis of own and published data, the natural, intermediate transitional and technogenic ranges of benzo (a) pyrene concentrations have been identified; among which the effect on plants varies from stimulating to inhibitory.

Cloning, expression and biochemical characterization of lignin-degrading DyP-type peroxidase from Bacillus sp. Strain BL5

Lignin is a major byproduct of pulp and paper industries, which is resistant to depolymerization due to its heterogeneous structure. The enzymes peroxidases can be utilized as potent bio-catalysts to degrade lignin. In the current study, an Efeb gene of 1251bp encoding DyP-type peroxidase from Bacillus sp. strain BL5 (DyPBL5) was amplified, cloned into a pET-28a (+) vector and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells. A 46 kDa protein of DyPBL5 was purified through ion-exchange chromatography. Purified DyPBL5 was active at wide temperature (25−50 °C) and pH (3.0–8.0) range with optimum activity at 35 °C and pH 5.0. Effects of different chemicals on DyPBL5 were determined. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by SDS, DDT and β-mercaptoethanol, whereas stimulated in the presence of organic solvents such as methanol and ethanol. The kinetic parameters were determined and Km, Vmax and Kcat values were 1.06 mM, 519.75 μmol/min/mg and 395 S̶ 1, respectively. Docking of DyPBL5 with ABTS revealed that, Asn 244, Arg 339, Asp 383 and Thr 389 are putative amino acids, taking part in the oxidation of ABTS. The recombinant DyPBL5 resulted in the reduction of lignin contents up to 26.04 %. The SEM and FT-IR analysis of test samples gave some indications about degradation of lignin by DyPBL5. Various low molecular weight lignin degradation products were detected by analyzing the samples through gas chromatography mass spectrometry. High catalytic efficiency and lignin degradation rate make DyPBL5 an ideal bio-catalyst for remediation of lignin-contaminated sites.

Lignin-derived hard carbon anode for potassium-ion batteries: Interplay among lignin molecular weight, material structures, and storage mechanisms

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) have drawn much attention as energy storage systems for large-scale grid applications due to their high energy density and low cost. As one of the most promising anode materials in PIBs, hard carbon (HC) has been prepared from various sources but exhibited varying electrochemical performance, probably due to a limited understanding of materials structure and K-ion storage mechanisms. Especially, biomass (such as lignin) represents an abundant source for synthesizing HC. However, few studies have investigated the role of lignin molecular weight (MW) in determining HC’s structure and eventually ion storage mechanism. Herein, we developed a series of HCs from lignin with different MWs at serial pyrolysis temperatures and correlated the lignin MWs and pyrolysis temperatures with HC’s structure, electrochemical performance, and K-ion storage mechanisms. The best lignin-derived HC delivered a high reversible specific capacity of ~300 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. Moreover, a binary K-ion storage mechanism of “bulk insertion + surface adsorption” was fortified in lignin-derived HCs, and the contributions of each storage behavior were quantified via kinetics calculations for the first time. It was found that lignin with medium MW (9660 g mol−1) pyrolyzed at medium temperatures (700 °C) yielded HC with an optimal mixture of graphite-like nanocrystals with the largest interlayer distance and amorphous structure to maximize K-ion storage from both bulk-insertion and surface-adsorption mechanisms. This work also established a good example of building a circular economy by turning lignin recycled from wood waste into high value-added carbon products in battery technology.

Effect of chemical structure and molecular weight on the properties of lignin-based ultrafine carbon fibers

Unlocking the effects of chemical structure and molecular weight of lignin on the properties of carbonized fiber can accelerate the development of lignin-based carbon fiber which was mainly limited by its complex structure. Hardwood kraft lignins (HKLs) with different structures and molecular weights prepared via heat treatment and fractionation processes were spun into ultrafine fibers using electrospinning technique at the assistance of 1 wt% polyoxyethylene (PEO), which was further removed during the carbonization process to eliminate the potential impacts. The structure and molecular weight of HKLs together with their influences on the thermal behavior, fiber morphology, crystal structure and mechanical performance of HKLs ultrafine fibers or carbonized ultrafine fibers were systemically investigated to provide an elaborate knowledge on the relationship between physico-chemical structure and properties of HKLs ultrafine fibers. Results suggest that a high molecular weight of HKL is beneficial to the formation of graphite-like crystallite, and the formed graphite-like crystallite and condensed structure of HKLs are crucial for the improvement of the mechanical performance of carbonized ultrafine fibers.

Exploring lignin depolymerization by a bi-enzyme system containing aryl alcohol oxidase and lignin peroxidase in aqueous biocompatible ionic liquids

Enzymatic depolymerization of lignin to produce low molecular weight products requires mild reaction conditions and exhibits higher selectivity compared to thermochemical lignin depolymerization. However, it remains challenging to depolymerize lignin enzymatically, partially due to the low solubility of lignin in aqueous phase. This study aimed to develop a novel approach to combine aqueous lignin extraction with enzymatic lignin depolymerization in biocompatible ionic liquids. A bi-enzyme system containing aryl alcohol oxidase (AAO) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) was developed to depolymerize lignin. Temperature and pH profiles for LiP and AAO were determined. Biocompatibilities of LiP and AAO in different deep eutectic solvents and ionic liquids were investigated. Aqueous cholinium glycinate was found to be an efficient and suitable solvent to solubilize lignin and serve as a biocompatible medium for enzymes to work. LiP and AAO together reduced lignin molecular weight in both solid and liquid phase after enzymatic lignin depolymerization.

Probing the molecular weights of sweetgum and pine kraft lignin fractions

The present investigation undertook a systematic investigation of the molecular weight (MW) of kraft lignins throughout the pulping process to establish a correlation between MW and lignin recovery at different extents of the kraft pulping process. The evaluation of MW is crucial for lignin characterization and utilization, since it is known to influence the kinetics of lignin reactivity and its resultant physicochemical properties. Sweetgum and pine lignins precipitated from black liquor at different pHs (9.5 and 2.5) and different extents of kraft pulping (30–150 min) were the subject of this effort. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used to deter- mine the number average molecular weight (Mn), mass average molecular weight (Mw), and polydispersity of the lignin samples. It was shown that the MW of lignins from both feedstocks follow gel degradation theory; that is, at the onset of the kraft pulping process low molecular weightlignins were obtained, and as pulping progressed, the molecular weight peaked and subsequently decreased. An important finding was that acetobromination was shown to be a more effective derivatization technique for carbohydrates containing lignins than acetylation, the technique typically used for derivatization of lignin.

Thermal degradation of lignins fractionated by gradient acid precipitation

The pyrolysis behavior of lignin fractions fractionated by gradient acid precipitation from poplar kraft pulping black liquor was investigated by pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS). The results revealed that the molecular weight of lignin had no distinct effect on the categories of pyrolysis products, while had an obvious effect on the relative content of products. At 500 °C, pyrolysis of LpH6 produced the highest relative contents of guaiacol-type (G-type) and syringol-type (S-type) compounds (44.41 % and 36.12 %, respectively), and high molecular weight lignin favored the generation of syringol and guaiacol. As pyrolysis temperature rose to 650 °C, relative contents of phenol-type (H-type) and catechol-type (C-type) compounds (20.92 % and 10.76 %, respectively) derived from LpH4 pyrolysis were the highest. Demethoxylation and dehydroxylation were promoted at high temperature, resulting in an increase in the relative content of aromatic hydrocarbons. Pyrolysis of kraft lignin (KL) produced the highest relative content of H-type compounds (43.24 %) at 800 °C. The research could give some contribution to the design of pyrolytic parameters for production of specific aromatic compounds from fractionated lignin.

Isolating High Antimicrobial Ability Lignin From Bamboo Kraft Lignin by Organosolv Fractionation.

Lignin from different biomasses possess biological antioxidation and antimicrobial activities, which depend on the number of functional groups and the molecular weight of lignin. In this work, organosolv fractionation was carried out to prepare the lignin fraction with a suitable structure to tailor excellent biological activities. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis showed that decreased molecular weight lignin fractions were obtained by sequentially organosolv fractionation with anhydrous acetone, 50% acetone and 37.5% hexanes. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results indicated that the lignin fractions with lower molecular weight had fewer substructures and a higher phenolic hydroxyl content, which was positively correlated with their antioxidation ability. Both of the original lignin and fractionated lignins possessed the ability to inhibit the growth of Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella) and Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus) by destroying the cell wall of bacteria in vitro, in which the lignin fraction with the lowest molecular weight and highest phenolic hydroxyl content (L3) showed the best performance. Besides, the L3 lignin showed the ability to ameliorate Escherichia coli-induced diarrhea damages of mice to improve the formation of intestinal contents in vivo. These results imply that a lignin fraction with a tailored structure from bamboo lignin can be used as a novel antimicrobial agent in the biomedical field.

The effect of ball milling on birch, pine, reed, walnut shell enzymatic hydrolysis recalcitrance and the structure of the isolated residual enzyme lignin

Methodologies for the high-yield recovery of lignin with retention of its native CO bonded structure is an essential prerequisite for many novel high-end lignin applications. Enzymatic residual lignin isolation is such a methodology that leaves the lignin untouched by using enzymatic desaccharification. Thus, a series of representative lignocellulose substrates (birch, pine, walnut shell and reed) were evaluated for effective native lignin isolation, with emphasis on the effect on the lignin structure and purity. The effect of enzyme loading and ball milling severity were studied by tracking residual saccharides and the structural integrity of the isolated lignin. Prolongation of ball milling time could achieve a higher carbohydrate removal and avoid the loading of extra enzyme. However, the application of two or more steps of enzymatic hydrolysis with higher enzyme loading and short ball milling time was shown as an alternative to long ball milling time to achieve similar carbohydrate removal and avoid extensive decrease of the lignin molecular weight (MW). This MW decrease was caused by breaking of some linkages, but not too a large enough extent to cause significant differences in the 2D HSQC NMR spectra. The recalcitrance towards increased enzyme hydrolysis activity by ball milling was different for the four representative biomasses and followed an order of walnut shell > reed ≈ pine > birch by comprehensive analysis the obtained data. Overall, the results showed a clear two-way synergy between enzymatic treatment and ball milling efficiency to isolate lignin with high yield, high native linkage content, purity and minimal MW reduction.

Properties versus application requirements of solubilized lignins from an elm clone during different pre-treatments

Kraft pulping, organosolv process and acid hydrolysis were applied on an elm clone. The solubilized lignins were recovered and analyzed. Kraft pulping and acid hydrolysis led to lignins with higher phenolic OH content as result of extensive cleavage of β-O-4′ linkages, as revealed by 13C solid state and 13C−1H heteronuclear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance. This depolymerization also yielded lower molecular weight lignins inferred by size exclusion chromatography. Contrarily, organosolv process gave rise to a lignin with a more preserved structure, maintaining a large number of β-O-4′ linkages. Consequently, organosolv lignin presented lower phenolic OH content and higher molecular weight. Moreover, the high content of the labile native β-O-4′ linkages in organosolv lignin resulted in a lower thermostability as compared to the kraft and acid lignins. On the other hand, the solubilized lignins from kraft and acid processes displayed an enrichment of S-units, whereas lignin from organosolv process was slightly enriched in G-units, containing all of them different native as well as pre-treatment derived units. These results could help to increase the inventory of lignin sources available for future lignin-based products, for which knowledge of the lignin properties versus application requirements is crucial.

Staged biorefinery of Moso bamboo by integrating polysaccharide hydrolysis and lignin reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) for the sequential production of sugars and aromatics

Towards a waste-free biorefinery was of the lignocellulose valuable and sustainable conversion. In this study a staged biorefinery for lignocellulose conversion to maximum valuable products was proposed and experimentally demonstrated by using Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla cv. Pubescens). It is an integrated sequential process including hemicellulose acidolysis with FeCl3 as the catalyst, reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) of lignin with Pd/C and sulfuric acid as catalysts, and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. The influence of acid FeCl3 catalyzed hemicellulose acidolysis on the subsequent RCF of lignin and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose were investigated and the optimized conditions for hemicellulose acidolysis were obtained. The yield of pentose, aromatic monomers, and glucose was respectively 85.8 wt%, 28.5 wt%, and 64.3 wt% relative to the initial hemicellulose, lignin, and cellulose contained in the Moso bamboo. The conversion and the products were analyzed and characterized using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and heteronculear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance (HSQC-NMR) spectrometry. The results indicated that hemicellulose acidolysis with FeCl3 resulted in the dissolution of some low molecular weight lignin and the cleavage of lignin-carbohydrate linkages of 2-O-Ac-β-d-xylopyranoside, while the connections of 3-O-Ac-β-d-xylopyranoside, phenyl glycoside and the β-ether linkages in lignin were remained. However, excessive removal of hemicellulose negatively influenced the stability of the lignin structure and delignification. RCF of lignin resulted to the hydrolysis of lignocellulose, yielded cellulose and aromatic monomers via the cleavage of β-ether bonds.

Lignin – Derived antioxidants as value-added products obtained under cavitation treatments of the wheat straw processing for sugar production

Most of biorefinery technologies are focused on the utilization of plant polysaccharides into chemicals, whereas lignin, the second most abundant natural polymer, is commonly used as a resource to generate power. This is the first report on flavones-bound lignin obtained by wheat straw (WS) pretreatment under low-frequency ultrasound (US) and hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) in sugar production processing. US and HC procedures carried out in aqueous 0.2–0.4% NaOH solutions and various liquid/biomass ratios strongly decreased the lignin content in the solid fraction by 30–45% and 25%, respectively, compared to non-treated WS. Moreover, НС pretreatment increased (approximately tenfold) the portion of ordered cellulose in residual biomass that could hinder the further enzymatic hydrolysis of WS. By means of sequential HC and US pretreatment the ordered cellulose content in solid fraction significantly decreased, compared to the HC alone. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that, after US pretreatment, hemicelluloses and oligomeric fragments of lignin and ligno-carbohydrate complexes were transferred into the liquid phase. In particular, tricin derivatives were detected in liquid fractions with a concentration of 30–35% on o.v.d. ash free sample, and more than 50 compounds associated with low-molecular-weight lignin fragments. These compounds were tentatively identified using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) based fragmentation (sequencing) and a self-made database, showing that 16 out of 50 identified compounds belonged to the fragments of model lignin structural units. Tricin and low molecular weight lignin derivatives may find applications as strong antioxidants (i.e. lipidic systems). These findings proved that waste lignin streams obtained after cavitational processes could be a source of value-added products from WS conversion.

Fractionation of lignin produced from the Earleaf Acacia tree by sequential industrial organic solvents

Introduction: Understanding the fractions of lignin is important for further conversion of lignin into valuable products. Herein, the “home-made” lignin from Earleaf Acacia tree was extracted by sequential industrial organic solvent and characterized each fraction to reveal its properties for further catalytic applications.
 Methods: In this work, lignin was prepared from the Earleaf Acacia tree using the soda method. Then, the prepared lignin was fractionated by sequential solvents of ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and acetone. Each lignin fractions were characterized by FT-IR and GPC.
 Results: The FT-IR results confirmed the soda method can produce lignin from woodchips. The fractionation of lignin separated the lignin mixture into different molecular weight fraction from light – medium into heavy compounds.
 Conclusion: Lignin was produced from woodchips using the soda method successfully. The fractionation using the sequential organic solvents showed the separation of different molecular weight of lignin, which allow to apply for the further conversion into useful products.

Understanding lignin micro- and nanoparticle nucleation and growth in aqueous suspensions by solvent fractionation

Interactions of sub-micron lignin particles dependent on precursor kraft lignin chemistry and molecular weight.

Acetone fractionation of heterogeneous tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol lignin to improve its homogeneity and functionality

Lignin, a carbon-rich biopolymer, has great application potentials in the field of biomaterial manufacture. However, lignin produced from separation process is a heterogeneous polymer with low functionality, which largely limits its application. In this case, a simple and green approach was proposed to fractionate tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol lignin with different acetone concentrations to produce homogeneous lignin having high antioxidant capacity. Lignin dissolved in 60% acetone solution was stirred for 1 h at room temperature and water was gradually added to precipitate and to obtain fractions with a high purity. The molecular weight distribution, structural characteristics and thermal stability of lignin before and after fractionation were extensively studied by using various methods (nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, thermogravimetric analysis, etc.). At the lowest acetone concentration, the molecular weight of lignin was 1490 g/mol, the polydispersity index was as low as 1.16, and the total phenolic hydroxyl content reached 3.3 mmol/g. Results showed that lignin samples had strong antioxidant activity as compared to commercial antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene. This study indicated that separation with acetone/water system is meaningful approach to prepare homogeneous lignin with excellent functionality.

Viability of Low Molecular Weight Lignin in Developing Thiol-Ene Polymer Electrolytes with Balanced Thermomechanical and Conductive Properties.

Polymer electrolytes with high aromatic content are prepared through thiol-ene polymerization with functionalized, low molecular weight fractions of softwood pine Kraft lignin, and wheat straw/Sarkanda grass soda lignin. Differing solubility, functionality, and aromatic content of the lignin fractions vary the glass transition temperatures of the resulting polymers and the suitability for electrolyte applications. The softwood pine Kraft lignin is used as a precursor for a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) with room temperature conductivity of 72 × 10-7 S cm-1 , while the wheat straw/Sarkanda grass soda lignin is utilized in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) with room temperature conductivity values in the range of 5 × 10-5 - 7 × 10-5 S cm-1 . The lignin-based GPE displays similar conductivity but improved thermal stability to a comparable, recently reported GPE containing an allylated, monophenolic, lignin-derived, vanillin-derived monomer. The lignin-based SPEs exhibit excellent cationic transport with ion transference values up to 0.90. The promising conductivity and ion transference results reveal the potential for use of functionalized, low molecular weight wheat straw/Sarkanda grass soda lignin in SPE applications as a way to improve thermal stability, electrochemical performance, and incorporate an abundant, sustainable resource in a high performance application.