Thermal Properties of Ethanol Organosolv Lignin Depending on Its Structure

June Ho Choi, Seong Min Cho, Jong Chan Kim, Sang Woo Park, Young Min Cho, Bonwook Koo, Hyo Won Kwak, In Gyu Choi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

In general, lignin exhibits unpredictable and nonuniform thermal properties due to the structural variations caused by the extraction processes. Therefore, a systematic understanding of the correlation between the extraction conditions, structural characteristics, and properties is indispensable for the commercial utilization of lignin. In this study, the effect of extraction conditions on the structural characteristics of ethanol organosolv lignin (EOL) was investigated by response surface methodology. The structural characteristics of EOL (molecular weight, hydroxyl content, and intramolecular coupling structure) were significantly affected by the extraction conditions (temperature, sulfuric acid concentration, and ethanol concentration). In addition, the correlation between the structural characteristics and thermal properties of the extracted EOLs was estimated. The relevant correlations between the structural characteristics and thermal properties were determined. In particular, EOLs that had a low molecular weight, high phenolic hydroxyl content, and low aryl-ether linkage content exhibited prominent thermal properties in terms of their initial decomposition rate and a high glass transition temperature, Tg. Correspondingly, EOL-PLA blends prepared using three EOL types exhibited improved thermal properties (starting point of thermal decomposition and maximum decomposition temperature) compared to neat PLA and had thermal decomposition behaviors coincident with the thermal properties of the constituent EOLs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1534-1546
Number of pages13
JournalACS Omega
Volume6
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 19 Jan 2021

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