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Membrane separation of the base-catalyzed depolymerization of black liquor retentate for low-molecular-mass compound production

Li, Kena LU orcid ; Al-Rudainy, Basel LU ; Sun, Mingzhe LU ; Wallberg, Ola LU orcid ; Hulteberg, Christian LU orcid and Tunå, Per LU (2019) In Membranes 9(8).
Abstract

One way of valorizing the lignin waste stream from the pulp and paper industries is depolymerizing it into low-molecular-mass compounds (LMMC). However, a common problem in the depolymerization of Kraft lignin is the low yields of small aromatic molecules obtained. In the present work, the combination of the repeated depolymerization of lignin and the separation of LMMC from depolymerized lignin to upgrade them into value-added chemicals was studied. In so doing, we investigated the possibility of depolymerizing black liquor retentate (BLR). The base-catalyzed depolymerization of BLR was performed using a continuous flow reactor at 170–210 °C, with a 2 min residence time. The results obtained indicate that BLR can be depolymerized... (More)

One way of valorizing the lignin waste stream from the pulp and paper industries is depolymerizing it into low-molecular-mass compounds (LMMC). However, a common problem in the depolymerization of Kraft lignin is the low yields of small aromatic molecules obtained. In the present work, the combination of the repeated depolymerization of lignin and the separation of LMMC from depolymerized lignin to upgrade them into value-added chemicals was studied. In so doing, we investigated the possibility of depolymerizing black liquor retentate (BLR). The base-catalyzed depolymerization of BLR was performed using a continuous flow reactor at 170–210 °C, with a 2 min residence time. The results obtained indicate that BLR can be depolymerized effectively under the experimental conditions. Depolymerized lignin LMMC can be successfully separated by a GR95PP membrane, and thus be protected from repolymerization. Through combining membrane filtration with base-catalyzed depolymerization, more than half of the lignin could be depolymerized into LMMC. Around 46 mg/g of lignin monomers (guaiacol, vanillin, acetovanillone, and acetosyringone), which can potentially be upgraded to high-valued chemicals, were produced. On the basis of our results, we suggest use of a recycling Kraft lignin depolymerization and filtration process for maximizing the production of LMMC under mild alkaline conditions.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Depolymerization, Kraft lignin, Low-molecular-mass compounds, Membrane filtration
in
Membranes
volume
9
issue
8
article number
102
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:31426318
  • scopus:85073348626
ISSN
2077-0375
DOI
10.3390/membranes9080102
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1013e981-db9d-46da-8b90-ca6e6b18124d
date added to LUP
2019-08-16 13:46:25
date last changed
2024-05-14 20:14:05
@article{1013e981-db9d-46da-8b90-ca6e6b18124d,
  abstract     = {{<p>One way of valorizing the lignin waste stream from the pulp and paper industries is depolymerizing it into low-molecular-mass compounds (LMMC). However, a common problem in the depolymerization of Kraft lignin is the low yields of small aromatic molecules obtained. In the present work, the combination of the repeated depolymerization of lignin and the separation of LMMC from depolymerized lignin to upgrade them into value-added chemicals was studied. In so doing, we investigated the possibility of depolymerizing black liquor retentate (BLR). The base-catalyzed depolymerization of BLR was performed using a continuous flow reactor at 170–210 °C, with a 2 min residence time. The results obtained indicate that BLR can be depolymerized effectively under the experimental conditions. Depolymerized lignin LMMC can be successfully separated by a GR95PP membrane, and thus be protected from repolymerization. Through combining membrane filtration with base-catalyzed depolymerization, more than half of the lignin could be depolymerized into LMMC. Around 46 mg/g of lignin monomers (guaiacol, vanillin, acetovanillone, and acetosyringone), which can potentially be upgraded to high-valued chemicals, were produced. On the basis of our results, we suggest use of a recycling Kraft lignin depolymerization and filtration process for maximizing the production of LMMC under mild alkaline conditions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Li, Kena and Al-Rudainy, Basel and Sun, Mingzhe and Wallberg, Ola and Hulteberg, Christian and Tunå, Per}},
  issn         = {{2077-0375}},
  keywords     = {{Depolymerization; Kraft lignin; Low-molecular-mass compounds; Membrane filtration}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Membranes}},
  title        = {{Membrane separation of the base-catalyzed depolymerization of black liquor retentate for low-molecular-mass compound production}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/membranes9080102}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/membranes9080102}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}