Electrostatic Deposition of the Oxidized Kraft Lignin onto the Surface of Aminosilicas: Thermal and Structural Characteristics of Hybrid Materials

In recent years, functional polymeric compounds have been widely used to modify the silica surface, which allows one to obtain the corresponding organomineral composites for broad application prospects. In this case, lignin-a cross-linked polyphenolic macromolecule-is of great interest according to its valuable properties and possible surplus as a by-product of pulp and paper industry and various biorefinery processes. Hybrid materials based on kraft softwood lignin and silica were obtained via the electrostatic attraction of oxidized lignin to the aminosilica surface with different porosities, which were prepared by the amination of the commercial silica gel with an average pore diameter of 6 nm, and the silica prepared in the lab with the oxidized kraft lignin and lignin-silica samples with an average pore diameter of 38 nm was investigated by physicochemical methods: two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 31 P NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis in nitrogen and air atmosphere, scanning electron microscopy, and adsorption methods. After oxidation, the content of carboxylic groups almost doubled in the oxidized lignin, compared to that in the native one (0.74 mmol/g against 0.44 mmol/g, respectively). The lignin content was deposited onto the surface of aminosilica, depending on the porosity of the silica material and on the content of amino groups on its surface, giving lignin-aminosilica with 20% higher lignin content than the lignin-aminosilica gel. Both types of lignin-silica composites demonstrate a high sorptive capacity toward crystal violet dye. The suggested approach is an easy and low-cost way of synthesis of lignin-silica composites with unique properties. Such composites have a great potential for use as adsorbents in wastewater treatment processes.