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Lignins from biochemical processing of lignocellulose -struture and potential applications
Tuesday, April 28, 2015: 4:00 PM
Aventine Ballroom G, Ballroom Level
The past decades of research in conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars has advanced the technology of 2nd generation bioethanol to a full-scale industry. Technologically the deconstruction and hydrolysis of biomass to fermentable sugars is highly efficient, but as ethanol is the only high value product, the economic value creation is still low. The main non-carbohydrate component, lignin, is currently only used as a low-value substitute for coal[1], and refining of lignin into higher value products is the largest opportunity for increasing the value creation[2]. In this presentation we describe the structure and composition of lignin from biochemical processing. This includes overall composition, the level of residual carbohydrates and salts as well as the chemical structure and molecular weight determined by 2D-NMR and SEC. We present results, which shows how the beta-O-4 bonds to a large extent are broken by pre-treatment under acidic conditions. Interestingly, we find that contrary to previously reported the wheat straw lignin is decreasing in molecular weight during pretreatment [3].
Also we show different approaches for converting the lignin to oil by deoxygenation reactions and we discuss how the characteristics of lignins from wood or grasses may affect their application as feedstocks for fuels and chemicals.
Also we show different approaches for converting the lignin to oil by deoxygenation reactions and we discuss how the characteristics of lignins from wood or grasses may affect their application as feedstocks for fuels and chemicals.
[1] J. Larsen, M. Ø. Haven, L. Thirup, Biomass and Bioenergy 2012, 46, 36-45.
[2] D. D. Laskar, B. Yang, H. Wang, J. Lee, Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 2013, 7, 602-626.
[3] J. Li, G. Henriksson, G. Gellerstedt, Bioresource Technol 2007, 98, 3061-3068.