Open AccessLiquefaction of Lignin Using Chemical Decomposition and Its Application to Polyurethane Foam
Author(s) -
Jisu Jeong,
Woo Sik Kim,
Min Wook Lee,
Munju Goh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.1c00285
Subject(s) - lignin , solubility , decomposition , polyurethane , dissolution , chemical engineering , chemical decomposition , liquefaction , chemical reaction , chemical structure , materials science , chemistry , aqueous solution , depolymerization , organic chemistry , engineering
To utilize the chemical application of lignin (LN), a decomposition reaction was carried out to cleave chemical bonds. Indeed, a liquefaction process is essential for the chemical use of lignin to achieve a uniform reaction and maximize the chemical utility of lignin. To this end, hydroxyl radicals were adopted as a powerful oxidation agent, and FT-IR results confirmed the cleavage of the ether linkages. Additionally, the water solubility of LN significantly increased after decomposition, and dissolution levels up to 0.5 g·mL -1 were obtained. Using these high solubility properties in water, NMR and DLS analyses were performed. In particular, an average particle diameter of 300 ± 240 nm was found, corresponding to the size of polydisperse l -LN. By controlling size uniformity and using high water-solubility levels, polyurethane foams were manufactured using l -LN.