Low-chromophore lignin isolation from natural biomass with polyol-based deep eutectic solvents

Cheng, Jinyuan; Zhou, Xuelian; Huang, Caoxing; Yoo, Chang Geun; Meng, Xianzhi; Fang, Guigan; Ragauskas, Arthur J.; Huang, Chen

doi:10.1039/d4gc01824a

Low-chromophore lignin isolation from natural biomass with polyol-based deep eutectic solvents

Journal Article · Thu Jul 04 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Green Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/d4gc01824a· OSTI ID:2429805

^[1]; Zhou, Xuelian ^[2]; Huang, Caoxing ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[5]; Fang, Guigan ^[1]; ^[6]; Huang, Chen ^[1]

Chinese Academy of Forestry, Nanjing (China); Nanjing Forestry University (China)
Chinese Academy of Forestry, Nanjing (China)
Nanjing Forestry University (China)
State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

When attempting to obtain light-color lignin from lignocellulosic biomass or industrial lignin, the available options based on chemical or morphological modification suffer from low yield, high cost, and lack of availability at the required scales. In this study, we adopted a polyhydric-alcohol-based deep eutectic solvent (PA-DES) to directly extract light-color lignin from natural biomass, which is even whiter than native cellulolytic enzyme lignin (CEL). The isolated lignin possessed a high recovery yield (97.36%), regular micro-spherical morphology, enriched β-ether linkage of 58/100Ar, low phenolic hydroxyl content of 1.25 mmol g^-1, minimal carbonyl content of 0.70 mmol g^-1, and less condensed structures, thus yielding a lower content of chromophores. Further, this lignin showed excellent sunscreen effects, which could enhance the SPF of a commercial sunscreen from 15 to 40 with only 5 wt% addition. This study can provide essential guidance for the scale-up production of light-color lignin and obtaining near-complete digestible cellulose for further saccharification.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Natural Science Foundation of China; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Other Award/Contract Number:: 32371821
32301546
32271974

OSTI ID:: 2429805

Journal Information:: Green Chemistry, Journal Name: Green Chemistry Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 26; ISSN 1463-9262

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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