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A Rapid and Tunable Approach for the Fractionation of Technical Kraft Lignin

Abdelaziz, Omar LU ; Capanema, Ewellyn ; Ajao, Olumoye ; Kristensen, Tove LU ; Hosseinaei, Omid ; Benali, Marzouk and Hulteberg, Christian LU orcid (2023) In Chemical Engineering Transactions 99. p.67-72
Abstract

Reducing the heterogeneity of technical lignin is essential to obtain predictable and high-performance polymeric materials that are suitable for high-value applications. Organic solvents with different polarities and solubilities can be used to fractionate lignin and reduce the complexity and diversity of its chemical structure. Among the various solvents and solvent mixtures, acetone-water mixtures offer an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly means of lignin fractionation. In the present study, temperature-induced acetone-water fractionation was investigated to refine the properties of a technical softwood Kraft lignin, i.e., LignoBoost™ lignin. Relatively mild operating conditions were tested, namely,... (More)

Reducing the heterogeneity of technical lignin is essential to obtain predictable and high-performance polymeric materials that are suitable for high-value applications. Organic solvents with different polarities and solubilities can be used to fractionate lignin and reduce the complexity and diversity of its chemical structure. Among the various solvents and solvent mixtures, acetone-water mixtures offer an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly means of lignin fractionation. In the present study, temperature-induced acetone-water fractionation was investigated to refine the properties of a technical softwood Kraft lignin, i.e., LignoBoost™ lignin. Relatively mild operating conditions were tested, namely, temperatures of 70-110°C and autogenous pressure. A factorial experimental design was developed using the Design-Expert® software, and three factors (temperature, time, and acetone concentration) were investigated. It was found that temperature-induced fractionation could increase lignin homogeneity and maintain high lignin solubilization with a short processing time (<1 h). It was also possible to tune the properties of the soluble lignin fraction (yield and weight-average molecular weight) based on the factorial models developed. The techno-economic evaluation confirmed the commercial viability of this fractionation process.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Chemical Engineering Transactions
volume
99
pages
6 pages
publisher
AIDIC - associazione italiana di ingegneria chimica
external identifiers
  • scopus:85163461381
ISSN
1974-9791
DOI
10.3303/CET2399012
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
61d2afff-c557-45b0-b781-3055adba37c5
date added to LUP
2023-07-17 09:34:11
date last changed
2023-12-21 14:12:36
@article{61d2afff-c557-45b0-b781-3055adba37c5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Reducing the heterogeneity of technical lignin is essential to obtain predictable and high-performance polymeric materials that are suitable for high-value applications. Organic solvents with different polarities and solubilities can be used to fractionate lignin and reduce the complexity and diversity of its chemical structure. Among the various solvents and solvent mixtures, acetone-water mixtures offer an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly means of lignin fractionation. In the present study, temperature-induced acetone-water fractionation was investigated to refine the properties of a technical softwood Kraft lignin, i.e., LignoBoost™ lignin. Relatively mild operating conditions were tested, namely, temperatures of 70-110°C and autogenous pressure. A factorial experimental design was developed using the Design-Expert® software, and three factors (temperature, time, and acetone concentration) were investigated. It was found that temperature-induced fractionation could increase lignin homogeneity and maintain high lignin solubilization with a short processing time (&lt;1 h). It was also possible to tune the properties of the soluble lignin fraction (yield and weight-average molecular weight) based on the factorial models developed. The techno-economic evaluation confirmed the commercial viability of this fractionation process.</p>}},
  author       = {{Abdelaziz, Omar and Capanema, Ewellyn and Ajao, Olumoye and Kristensen, Tove and Hosseinaei, Omid and Benali, Marzouk and Hulteberg, Christian}},
  issn         = {{1974-9791}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{67--72}},
  publisher    = {{AIDIC - associazione italiana di ingegneria chimica}},
  series       = {{Chemical Engineering Transactions}},
  title        = {{A Rapid and Tunable Approach for the Fractionation of Technical Kraft Lignin}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3303/CET2399012}},
  doi          = {{10.3303/CET2399012}},
  volume       = {{99}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}