Non-edible lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable carbon source on our planet. It offers an alternative as well as a complementary source to petrochemical refining for chemical production. However, utilization of biomass is underdeveloped. Today’s second generation biorefinery uses only the carbohydrate components from biomass and lignin is a waste byproduct. Transition metal catalysts have been an integral part of the success story of the petrochemical industry in the 20th Century, and will continue to play a critical role into advancing green and sustainable chemistry into the 21st Century. Lignin valorization can improve the economics of biorefining by producing value-added products from lignin. This can be accomplished through the “lignin-first” biorefinery concept. We have developed selective reaction chemistries that convert lignin selectively into phenolic synthons. Mechanistic investigations revealed the roles of solvent and catalyst in this unique reactive-separation, which provides bio-phenols from lignin. Furthermore, after lignin removal and upgrading, the carbohydrate solid residue can be converted to platform chemicals, which can be used as drop-in replacement for petrochemicals in the manufacture of polymers. The renewable bio-phenol motifs from lignin are modified and converted to polymers with advanced thermo-mechanical properties that rival those from petroleum. This presentation will describe the Selective Process for Efficient Removal of Lignin and Upgrading (SPERLU), which integrates and utilizes all three major components of lignocellulosic biomass. The implication and use of lignin synthons to make renewable and recyclable thermoset polymers will be discussed.

Lignin valorization using heterogeneous transition metal catalysts to make renewable synthons and materials

ACS Spring 2022

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