Depolymerization of different lignin types via solvolysis

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master_Mohammadi_Anita_2024.pdf (2.28 MB)

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School of Chemical Engineering | Master's thesis
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Date

2024-10-31

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Chemical and Process Engineering

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Degree programme

Master's Programme in Chemical, Biochemical and Materials Engineering

Language

en

Pages

57

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Abstract

Lignin is a prominent segment of plant biomass and has potential for producing valuable products for biofuels, offering a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Lignin varies in chemical compositions across different biomass feedstocks, influences its reactivity, solubility degree, and the categories of depolymerized products. This thesis desires to investigate the depolymerization of various lignin types from different plants, including bagasse, corncob, pinewood, rye straw, and lignin extracted via organosolv reaction, using thermal catalytic solvolysis method. The study investigates the chemical structure of these types of lignin, liquefication degree, and degraded products after catalytic solvolysis. All types of lignin are successfully liquefied, except bagasse and rye straw lignin. Bagasse lignin exhibits the highest monomer yield and strongest reactivity while pinewood lignin exhibits the lowest monomer yield and reactivity. All types of lignin produce alkane products, except pinewood lignin, indicating that hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) occurred for all types but not for pinewood. The structure of bagasse lignin is primarily composed of S units, ester and hydroxyl functional groups, and β-O-4 linkages and the structure of pinewood lignin is mostly made of guaiacyl units. Elemental analysis as well as gel permeation chromatography (GPC) results confirm the success of depolymerization for all types of lignin.

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Supervisor

Alopaeus, Ville

Thesis advisor

Li, Xiang

Keywords

lignin, catalytic solvolysis, fuel blends, biomass, structure, depolymerization

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202412127746

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[dipl] Kemian tekniikan korkeakoulu / CHEM