New model to help valorize lignin for bio-based chemicals, materials, and biofuels

Date:19 Sep 2023

Country: Netherlands

Application

• Valorization of Lignin: Efficient use of lignin to create bio-based chemicals, materials, and biofuels.
• Improved Biorefinery Processes: Helps biorefineries design and optimize lignin-based products.

Description

This project, led by Eindhoven University of Technology, developed a new model to predict the fractionation of lignin from various sources for bio-based applications. The model helps isolate specific lignin types with desired chemical properties for the production of biofuels, materials, and chemicals. It utilizes a blend of solvents and the Flory-Huggins solution theory to accurately predict lignin yields. This model could significantly advance lignin valorization in both academic research and industrial applications, offering new solutions for biorefineries.

 

 

Pathway Description:

The project uses a process called solvent fractionation to isolate specific lignin types from biomass. Lignin is dissolved in a solvent blend of methanol and ethyl acetate, allowing the desired lignin fractions with particular chemical properties to be separated. A new model based on the Flory-Huggins solution theory predicts the fractionation outcome, improving the precision of lignin isolation. This model helps optimize the solvent selection for targeted lignin properties to be used in bio-based applications.