Lignin decolorization, hydrogenation and bleaching
Abstract
The primary objective of this project is to study decolorization of lignin to broaden the range of applications for this waste product of the pulp and paper industries. While native lignin in wood is not darkly colored, the industrial products possess a brown color, sometimes even turning to very dark (“black liquor”). This severe coloration is evidently not an issue in low value applications (burning, dispersant for oil drilling), but is a problem in other applications. Especially for uses where lignin is to replace colorless compounds (binder in papermaking, adhesives) efficient ways for lignin decolorization are needed. The projects entails a large part of fundamental research as most work on pulp bleaching cannot be transferred to the case of isolated lignin fractions. Also the different types and structures of the lignins (Kraft, lignosulfonate, mechanical) complicates the matter additionally, requiring separate approaches for each lignin type. We will exploit three different classes of reactions in this project: oxidative, reductive and hydrogenative decolorization (and combinations thereof) of lignin.
Publikationen
Project staff
Stefan Böhmdorfer
Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Stefan Böhmdorfer
stefan.boehmdorfer@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-77437
BOKU Project Leader
01.09.2013 - 31.03.2017