As the second most abundant natural biopolymer, lignin can be a sustainable alternative to petroleum-derived polymers that possess high concentration of aromatic structures. In addition, the natural lignin’s existing multiple functional groups can be used to generate efficient crosslinking in the polymer matrix. This talk will presents a new direction of natural lignin valorization, which utilizes lignin to produce a polycaprolactone network via a straightforward, cost-efficient synthesis pathway. Lignin’s hydroxyl groups of its hyper-branched phenolic structure allow lignin to serve as crosslinking agents. The demonstrated role and behavior of lignin as a natural biomass crosslinker and hard segment compensates for and enhances the mechanical properties of polycaprolactone, a favorable new polymeric material which has high controllability in properties and well-defined chemical structure. The prepared lignin-containing 4-arm polycaprolactone network demonstrates thermally-responsive shape memory behavior. Varying the % weight of lignin revealed that the thermal properties of this crosslinked lignin-polycaprolactone are precisely and conveniently tunable. The role of lignin as a crosslinker presented in this work suggests that lignin potentially can serve as an efficient functional additive for many other polymers in general.

Natural biomass-based sustainable polymers: lignin as a crosslinker in shape memory polymers

2019 Spring National Meeting

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