The utilization of the second most abundant plant biopolymer lignin as a source for thermoplastics additives in polymeric materials has challenged material chemists over several decades. Only limited success have been achieved despite broad variety of formulations studied so far, partly due to great variances of lignins obtained from technical processes in terms of structure, chemical reactivity and molecular size. In the study new convenient methods for the preparation of long chain fatty acid derivatives of lignins have been developed. E.g. softwood LignoBoost kraft lignin was esterified with ethanoyl (C2), octanoyl (C8), dodecanoyl (C12) and hexadecanoyl (C16) chloride with various molar ratios with respect to the total OH of lignin and analyzed with quantitative 31P-NMR spectroscopy, FTIR- ATR, molecular weight distribution and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Their structure and polymer properties (MW, Tg, rheological properties) were examined with comparison to variety of conventional Kraft lignins and new non-sulfur technical lignins. The partially acylated technical lignins were further methylated to obtain fully substituted lignins and studied on viscometer, extruder and DSC to understand the effect of long chain fatty acids on material properties. Oligomeric lignin model compounds were applied to study the behavior of the so-called “reactive groups” of lignins in the derivatization procedures and to assist the selection of the particular type of technical lignins for special application. The esterified lignins, in particular, showed interesting properties as fiberboard barrier materials1 and possess promising properties also for thermoplastic additives.

Synthesis and properties of fatty acid esters of technical lignins for biorefinery applications

249th National Meeting (2015)

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