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. […]

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, […]

2.11 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, […]

2.1 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 […]

2.8 In-situ reactive fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass to produce aminated lignin

Amine-modified lignin is regarded as a promising amine-functionalized solid adsorbent for carbon capture and storage, owing to its high reactivity, excellent thermal stability, and strong adsorption performance. Aminated lignin is typically derived from technical lignin through chemical modifications, with the Mannich reaction being a commonly employed method.1 However, the unavoidable condensation that occurs during the […]