Purification and characterization of kraft lignin

Wenwen Fang; Marina Alekhina; Olga Ershova; Sami Heikkinen; Herbert Sixta

doi:10.1515/hf-2014-0200

journal article Jan 07, 2015

Purification and characterization of kraft lignin

Wenwen Fang Marina Alekhina Olga Ershova Sami Heikkinen

Herbert Sixta

Holzforschung Vol. 69 No. 8 pp. 943-950 · Walter de Gruyter GmbH

View at Publisher Save 10.1515/hf-2014-0200

Abstract

AbstractTo upgrade the utilization of kraft lignin (KL) for high-performance lignin-based materials (e.g., carbon fiber), the purity, molecular mass distribution (MMD), and thermal properties need to be improved and adjusted to target values. Therefore, different methods, such as ultrasonic extraction (UE), solvent extraction, dialysis, and hot water treatment (HWT), were applied for the purification of KL. The chemical and thermal properties of purified lignin have been characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, gel permeation chromatography, elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The lignin fractions obtained by UE with ethanol/acetone (E/A) mixture (9:1) revealed a very narrow MMD and were nearly free of inorganic compounds and carbohydrates. Further, the E/A-extracted lignin showed a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) and a clearly detectable melting temperature (Tm). Dialysis followed by HWT at 220°C is an efficient method for the removal of inorganics and carbohydrates; however, lignin was partly forming condensed structures during the treatment.

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

36

[1]

Argyropoulos, D.S., Sun, Y., Paluš, E. (2002) Isolation of residual kraft lignin in high yield and purity. J. Pulp Paper Sci. 28:50–54. 10.1021/jf010909g

[2]

Baker, D.A., Rials, T.G. (2013) Recent advances in low-cost carbon fiber manufacture from lignin. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130:713–728. 10.1002/app.39273

[3]

Baker, D.A., Gallego, N.C., Baker, F.S. (2012) On the characterization and spinning of an organic-purified lignin toward the manufacture of low-cost carbon fiber. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 124:227–234. 10.1002/app.33596

[4]

Borges da Silva, E.A., Zabkova, M., Araffljo, J.D., Cateto, C.A., Barreiro, M.F., Belgacem, M.N., Rodrigues, A.E. (2009) An integrated process to produce vanillin and lignin-based polyurethanes from kraft lignin. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 87: 1276–1292. 10.1016/j.cherd.2009.05.008

[5]

Borrega, M., Nieminen, K., Sixta, H. (2011) Effects of hot water extraction in a batch reactor on the delignification of birch wood. Bioresources 6:1890–1903. 10.15376/biores.6.2.1890-1903

[6]

Brebu, M., Vasile, C. (2010) Thermal degradation of lignin – a review. Cellulose Chem. Technol. 44:353–363.

[7]

Brodin, I., Sjöholm, E., Gellerstedt, G. (2009) Kraft lignin as feedstock for chemical products: the effects of membrane filtration. Hozforschung 63:290–297.10.1515/HF.2009.049 10.1515/hf.2009.049

[8]

Capanema, E.A., Balakshin, M.Y., Kadla, J.F. (2004) A comprehensive approach for quantitative lignin characterization by NMR spectroscopy. J. Agric. Food Chem. 52:1850–1860.10.1021/jf035282b 10.1021/jf035282b

[9]

Carrott, S., Carrott, R. (2007) Lignin – from natural adsorbent to activated carbon: a review. Bioresour. Technol. 98:2301–2312. 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.08.008

[10]

Cavdar, A.D., Kalaycioglu, H., Hiziroglu, S., Mater. J. (2008) Some of the properties of oriented strandboard manufactured using kraft lignin phenolic resin. Process. Technol. 202: 559–563. 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2007.10.039

[11]

Chakar, F.S., Ragauskas, A.J. (2004) Review of current and future softwood kraft lignin process chemistry. Ind. Crop. Prod. 20:131–141. 10.1016/j.indcrop.2004.04.016

[12]

Faix, O. (1992) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In: Methods in lignin chemistry. Eds. Lin, S.Y., Dence, C.W. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. pp. 83–109. 10.1007/978-3-642-74065-7_7

[13]

Faix, O., Beinhoff, O. (1988) FTIR spectra of milled wood lignins and lignin polymer models (DHPs) with enhanced resolution obtained by deconvolution. J. Wood Chem. Technol. 8:502–522. 10.1080/02773818808070698

[14]

Funaoka, M., Kako, T., Abe, I. (1990) Condensation of lignin during heating of wood. Wood Sci. Technol. 24:277–288. 10.1007/bf01153560

[15]

Gosselink, R.J.A., De Jong, E., Guran, B., Abächerli, A. (2004) Coordination network for lignin – standardisation, production and applications adapted to market requirements (EUROLIGNIN). Ind. Crops. Prod. 20:121–129. 10.1016/j.indcrop.2004.04.015

[16]

Hameed, N., Xiong, R.Y., Salim, N.V., Guo, Q.P. (2013) Fabrication and characterization of transparent and biodegradable cellulose/poly (vinyl alcohol) blend films using an ionic liquid. Cellulose 20:2517–2527.10.1007/s10570-013-0017-1 10.1007/s10570-013-0017-1

[17]

Hatakeyama, H., Hatakeyama, T. (2010) Thermal properties of isolated and in situ lignin. In: Lignin and Lignans. Eds. Heitner, C., Dimmel, D.R., Schmidt, J.A. CRC Press, Boca Raton. pp. 301–319.10.1201/EBK1574444865-c8 10.1201/ebk1574444865-c8

[18]

Iversen, T., Wännström, S. (1986) Lignin-carbohydrate bonds in a residual lignin isolated from pine kraft pulp. Holzforschung 40:19–22.10.1515/hfsg.1986.40.1.19 10.1515/hfsg.1986.40.1.19

[19]

Kadkla, F., Kubo, S., Gilbert, R.D., Venditti, R.A. (2002) Lignin-based carbon fibers. In: Chemical Modification, Properties, and Usage of Lignin. Eds. Hu, T.Q. Kluwer Academic/Plenum, New York. pp. 121–137.10.1007/978-1-4615-0643-0_7 10.1007/978-1-4615-0643-0_7

[20]

Kharade, A.Y., Kale, D.D. (1999) Lignin-filled polyolefins. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 72:1321–1326. 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19990606)72:10<1321::aid-app12>3.0.co;2-9

[21]

Kubo, S., Uraki, Y., Sano, Y. (1998) Preparation of carbon fibers from softwood lignin by atmospheric acetic acid pulping. Carbon 36:1119–1124.10.1016/S0008-6223(98)00086-4 10.1016/s0008-6223(98)00086-4

[22]

Leschinsky, M., Zuckerstätter, G., Weber, H.K., Patt, R., Sixta, H. (2008) Effect of autohydrolysis of Eucalyptus globulus wood on lignin structure. Part 1: comparison of different lignin fractions formed during water prehydrolysis. Holzforschung 62:645–652.10.1515/HF.2008.117 10.1515/hf.2008.117

[23]

Lundquist, K. (1992) Proton (1H) NMR spectroscopy. In: Methods in Lignin Chemistry. Eds. Lin, S.Y., Dence, C.W. Springer Verlag, Berlin. pp. 243–249.10.1007/978-3-642-74065-7_17 10.1007/978-3-642-74065-7_17

[24]

Mansouri, N.E.E., Salvadó, J. (2006) Structural characterization of technical lignins for the production of adhesives: application to lignosulfonate, kraft, soda-anthraquinone, organosolv and ethanol process lignins. Ind. Crops Prod. 24:8–16.10.1016/j.indcrop.2005.10.002 10.1016/j.indcrop.2005.10.002

[25]

Mörck, R., Yoshida, H., Kringstad, K.P., Hatakeyama, H. (1986) Fractionation of kraft lignin by successive extraction with organic solvents. 1. Functional groups 13C-NMR-spectra and molecular weight distributions. Holzforschung 40:51–60.

[26]

Öhman, F. Precipitation and Separation of Lignin from Kraft Black Liquor. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden (2006).

[27]

Öhman, F., Theliander, H., Tomani, P., Axegård, P. (2006) Method for separating lignin from black liquor. Patent WO2006031175.

[28]

Ropponen, J., Räsänen, L., Rovio, S., Ohra-aho, T., Liitiä, T., Van de Pas, D., Tamminen, T. (2011) Solvent extraction as a means of preparing homogeneous lignin fractions. Holzforschung 65:543–549.10.1515/hf.2011.089 10.1515/hf.2011.089

[29]

Saito, T., Perkins, J.H., Vautard, F., Meyer, H.M., Messman, J.M., Tolnai, B., Naskar, A.K. (2014) Methanol fractionation of softwood kraft lignin: impact on the lignin properties. ChemSusChem. 7:221–228.10.1002/cssc.20130050924458739 10.1002/cssc.201300509

[30]

Sevastyanova, O., Helander, M., Chowdhury, S., Lange, H., Wedin, H., Chang, L.M., Ek, M., Kadla, J.F., Crestini, C., Lindström, M.E. (2014) Tailoring the molecular and thermo-mechanical properties of kraft lignin by ultrafiltration. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. DOI: 10.1002/APP.40799.10.1002/app.40799 10.1002/app.40799

[31]

Sousa, F.D., Reimann, A., Björklund Jansson, M., Nilvebrant N.-O. (2001) Estimating the amount of phenolic hydroxyl groups in lignins. In: 11th International Symposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry, Vol. III, Poster presentations. pp. 649–653.

[32]

Svensson, S. (2008) Minimizing sulfur content in kraft lignin. Degree Project, Mälardalen University, Sweden. http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1676/FULLTEXT01.pdf.

[33]

Tejado, A., Pena, C., Labidi, J., Echeverria, J.M., Mondragon, I. (2007) Physico-chemical characterization of lignins from different sources for use in phenol-formaldehyde resin synthesis. Bioresour. Technol. 98:1655–1663. 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.05.042

[34]

Thielemans, W., Can, E., Morye, S.S., Wool, R.P. (2001) Novel applications of lignin in composite materials. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 83:323–331. 10.1002/app.2247

[35]

Thring, R.W., Vanderlaan, M.N., Griffin, S.L. (1996) Fractionation of Alcell® lignin by sequential solvent extraction. J. Wood Chem. Technol.16: 139–154.10.1080/02773819608545815 10.1080/02773819608545815

[36]

Vishtal, A., Kraslawski, A. (2011) Challenges in industrial applications of technical lignins. Bioresources 6:3547–3568.10.15376/biores.6.3.3547-3568 10.15376/biores.6.3.vishtal

Cited By

33

Comparative Assessment of Edible Oil Plant Lignocellulosic Biomass as Raw Material for a Fiber-Based Integrated Fractionation

Adrian Cătălin Puițel, Cătălin Dumitrel Balan · 2026

Polysaccharides

Enhancing arsenate adsorption kinetics in Iron(III)-crosslinked chitosan beads

Gabriel Gonsalves Bertho, Obinna Nwokonkwo · 2025

Chemical Engineering Journal

Chemistry of lignin and condensed tannins as aromatic biopolymers

Farzad Seidi, Yang Huang · 2025

Chemical Society Reviews

Metrics

33

Citations

36

References

Details

Published: Jan 07, 2015
Vol/Issue: 69(8)
Pages: 943-950

Authors

W

Wenwen Fang

Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

M

Marina Alekhina

Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

O

Olga Ershova

Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

S

Sami Heikkinen

Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland

H

Herbert Sixta

Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

Cite This Article

Wenwen Fang, Marina Alekhina, Olga Ershova, et al. (2015). Purification and characterization of kraft lignin. Holzforschung, 69(8), 943-950. https://doi.org/10.1515/hf-2014-0200

Purification and characterization of kraft lignin

You May Also Like