Title:One-step Synthesis of Deep Eutectic Solvents and Dissolution of Kraft Lignin
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
Author(s): Omar Merino Pérez, Ricardo Cerón-Camacho and Rafael Martínez-Palou*
Affiliation:
- Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo. Dirección de Investigación en Transformación de Hidrocarburos, Eje Central L. Cárdenas 152, 07730, Ciudad de México
Keywords:
Microwave, lignin, deep eutectic solvent, dissolution, biopolymers, one-pot procedure.
Abstract:
Lignin is a very abundant biopolymer with great potential to produce other high-value
polymers with aromatic groups. Its valorization has been limited principally by its poor solubility
in conventional organic solvents, which makes it difficult to deconstruct or transform it into other
products with higher added value. In this work, we describe a one-pot procedure to prepare various
Deep Eutectic Solvents and study their ability to dissolve Kraft lignin with the aid of microwave
dielectric heating efficiently.
Background: Lignin is a widely available aromatic biopolymer that is largely discarded or used
as a low-value fuel when separated in paper production processes, so researchers are engaged in
the development of lignin dissolution processes that allow its easy deconstruction and transformation
into other products with higher added value.
Objective: The main objective of this work is to find deep eutectic solvents capable of dissolving
significant quantities of lignin with the aid of microwaves as a heating source.
Method: The present work developed a simple, fast, and efficient method to dissolve lignin using
Deep Eutectic Solvent/acetonitrile as solvents and irradiation by dielectric microwave heating.
Results: Most of the DESs studied achieved significant dissolution of purchased lignin with common
organic solvents by employing microwave irradiation as the heating method.
Conclusion: Some DESs studied in this work are good alternatives as solvents for lignin solvent
option of simple preparation from renewable precursors from biomass, such as glycerol, choline
chloride, and urea, of low toxicity and cost for this application. The effectiveness of these systems
appears to be based on molecular recognition by hydrogen bonding interactions involving the
three species that make up the eutectic and the hydroxyl groups of the lignin. These solvents can
be recovered and recycled.