2.9 Linkage Sequences in Lignin Populations (LILIPOPS): A glimpse into lignin heterogeneity
Despite several decades of analytical investigations, the elucidation of the complete molecular structure of lignin remains a challenge. State of the art analytical techniques such as advanced NMR techniques have been useful tools to propose global structural motifs based on inter-unit linkage but still lack the proficiency to discerning structural populations with complete linkage sequences. […]
Stefania Bertella
Surfactants are a class of amphiphilic compounds which are essential in various industrial applications, as they can aid in the formation of emulsions, dispersion or act as wetting agents.(1) Despite their wide use, only less than 5% of the current surfactant market share consists of compounds entirely derived from plant wastes and renewable carbon. Lignin, […]
2.Keynote – Approaches for useful lignin from hydrolysis residue
Hydrolysis residue is the biomass components remaining after pretreatment and saccharification and the utilization of this material impacts the economics of a biorefinery. This material typically has a high lignin content, dependent upon the pretreatment method. Steam-explosion significantly disrupts the cell wall from the autocatalyzed breakage of lignin and carbohydrate linkages allowing lignin to rearrange […]
2.7 Lignin Carbohydrate Complexes – Inferring Structure-Property Relations with Artificial Intelligence
The potential of lignin as an abundant, underutilized biopolymer is increasingly being realized. A key challenge for the targeted production of lignins remains the poorly understood relation between lignin properties and its complex structure. Novel artificial intelligence (AI) methods could reveal such structure-function relationships but remain elusive in biomaterials research. Here, we present our AI […]
2.10 Lignin-based catalysts for catalyzing CO2 cycloaddition to epoxides
Cyclic carbonates have received considerable attention from academy and industry because of their applications as polar aprotic solvents, non-ionic surfactants, electrolytes in Li-ion batteries and precursors for chemical syntheses. These compounds can be synthesized through cycloaddition reaction of CO2 to epoxides in mild conditions, which is a sustainable strategy contributing to carbon neutrality. Lignin and melanin, […]
2.3 Optimized synthesis of a high oleic sunflower oil derived polyamine and its lignin-based NIPUs
The development of bio-based materials is crucial for reducing the dependence on fossil resources. Being one of the major natural sources of aromatic scaffolds, lignin holds high potential for valorization, both for high-value added chemicals as well as its use as a macromonomer for lignin-based polymer production. This work presents an innovative approach to synthesizing […]
2.1 Monolithic, hybrid and particulate lignin-based hydrogels for sustainable CO2 capture
Amine-infused hydrogels (AIHs) represent a promising platform for developing solid absorbents with improved CO2 absorption capacity. However, most of them rely on petroleum-based and toxic monomers. Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) are becoming prominent players at the interface between sustainable nanomaterials technology and chemical science due to their high surface-area-to-mass ratio, which allows them to interact with […]
2.11 Advanced aromatic platforms from lignocellulose for high-value materials production
Keywords: lignin, Depolymerization, heterogeneous catalystLignin is the largest natural source of aromatic compounds which, and it plays a crucial role in advancing sustainable chemistry by reducing dependence on fossil resources. The ongoing study investigates the catalytic reductive depolymerization of lignin originating from various industrial sources, aiming to produce fractions tailored for high-value applications such as adhesives, polymer chemistry, […]
2.5 Tuning the natural lignin chemical code to change plant biomechanics and environmental resilience
Lignins are phenolic polymers that are differently incorporated between and within the cell wall layers of specific plant cell types. Lignins are essential for plant biomechanical support, water conduction, intercellular cohesion and cell wall hygroscopy in vascular plants (Blaschek et al., 2024). To fulfil these various roles, each cell wall layer and cell type differently […]
2.Invited A novel class of bio-surfactants via alkali-O2 oxidation of hard wood hydrolysis lignin
Surfactants are a class of amphiphilic compounds which are essential in various industrial applications, as they can aid in the formation of emulsions, dispersion or act as wetting agents.(1) Despite their wide use, only less than 5% of the current surfactant market share consists of compounds entirely derived from plant wastes and renewable carbon. Lignin, […]