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Updated: Oct 5, 2025
Ultrafast Lignin Extraction from Unusual Mediterranean Lignocellulosic Residues
Published on: March 9, 2021
Deep eutectic solvent with bifunctional Brønsted-Lewis acids for highly efficient lignocellulose fractionation
Yunhua Bai1, Xiong-Fei Zhang1, Zhongguo Wang1
1Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Green Biomass-based Fuels and Chemicals, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
This study introduces a novel, cost-effective deep eutectic solvent (DES) for efficient lignin extraction from biomass. The developed acidic DES achieved high lignin recovery and purity, offering a sustainable alternative for biomass fractionation.
Area of Science:
- Green Chemistry
- Biomass Valorization
- Materials Science
Background:
- Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional solvents in biomass processing.
- Developing efficient methods for lignin extraction is crucial for biomass fractionation and the production of value-added products.
- Acidic DESs show promise for enhancing lignocellulose pretreatment, but require further design for optimal performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize a novel bifunctional acidic deep eutectic solvent (DES) for efficient lignin extraction from poplar sawdust.
- To investigate the performance of the designed DES in terms of lignin recovery, purity, and structural integrity.
- To evaluate the recyclability and reusability of the acidic DES for sustainable biomass fractionation.
Main Methods:
- A bifunctional acidic DES was synthesized using zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as a Brønsted acid and lactic acid as a Lewis acid.
- The DES was applied to the pretreatment of poplar sawdust for lignin extraction.
- Lignin recovery, purity, polydispersity, and structural characteristics (e.g., β-aryl-ether content) were analyzed.
- Recyclability and reusability of the DES were assessed.
Main Results:
- The optimized ZnCl2-lactic acid DES achieved a high lignin recovery of 95.2 wt% with 92.1% purity.
- The extracted lignin exhibited low polydispersity (1.67) and minimal β-aryl-ether linkages.
- The acidic DES demonstrated excellent recyclability and reusability over multiple cycles.
- The bifunctional nature of the DES, with synergistic Lewis and Brønsted acid sites, was key to its performance.
Conclusions:
- The developed bifunctional acidic DES is a highly effective and sustainable solvent for lignin extraction from lignocellulosic biomass.
- This DES offers a promising green alternative to conventional methods, enabling high-quality lignin recovery.
- The tunable acidity and polarity of the DES contribute to selective cleavage of lignin-carbohydrate complex linkages, enhancing extraction efficiency.
