Journal of Chemical Engineering & Process Technology
Open Access
ISSN: 2157-7048
+44-20-4587-4809
ISSN: 2157-7048
+44-20-4587-4809
M Ferhan
Center for Biocomposites and Biomaterials Processing (CBBP),
Toronto, ON, M5S 3B3
Canada
Research Article
A New Method for Demethylation of Lignin from Woody Biomass using Biophysical Methods
Author(s): M Ferhan, N Yan and M SainM Ferhan, N Yan and M Sain
Demethylation of softwood kraft lignin from woody biomass to improve the hydroxyl number in modified demethylated lignin and to produce lignin-based polyols was investigated using several biophysical techniques. Lignin is a tremendously under-developed natural polymer co-generated through papermaking and biomass fractionation. Molecular weights of lignins were analyzed by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Molecular weights of softwood kraft lignin (SKL) and demethylated lignin (DL) were determined as 1071 and 891 gmol-1, respectively. For demethylation, iodocyclohexane in dimethyl formamide (DMF) was used under reflux conditions, with a resulting yield of 87%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine characteristic absorption peaks of softwood kraft lignin and demethylated lignin. Significant spectral differences were noticed between t.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2157-7048.1000160