Lignocellulosic biorefineries and pulp and paper industries produce lignin-rich waste only a small fraction of which is utilized to produce value-added products. Lignin is currently either combusted to generate heat or disposed of. We have recently developed a novel lignin valorization approach by designing ion-conducting polymers (ionomers) using lignin. Unlike commercially available lignin sulfonate, our lignin sulfonate ionomers are not water-soluble and their ion exchange capacity can be effectively controlled for practical applications. So far, we have utilized lignin from corn stover and Norway spruce to synthesize ionomers which offer ion conductivity much higher than the current benchmark ionomer Nafion used in energy conversion and storage devices. We have also extensively studied the water uptake, density, and ionic domain characteristics of lignin sulfonate ionomers within sub-micron thick films. Due to their superior ion conduction performance within sub-micron thick films, lignin-based ionomers can be an inexpensive ion-conducting component of catalyst inks, minimize the ion transport limitations at electrode interfaces, improve the performance of fuel cells and electrolyzers, and support both bio- and energy economy simultaneously.

Lignin-based Ionomers: A unique lignin valorization approach to support both energy and bioeconomy

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.