Oxidation of organosolv lignin in a novel surfactant-free microemulsion reactor

摘要

Lignin is considered as a promising substitute for fossil resources, but its efficient conversion remains a huge challenge due to the structural complexity and immiscibility with typical solvents. Herein, a series of surfactant-free microemulsion reactors comprised of n-octane, water and n-propanol were designed and their corresponding phase behaviors alongside their ability to intensify oxidative depolymerization of lignin were explored. Experimental results show that the phenolic monomer yield improves substantially (40-500 wt%) by comparison with processes performed in a single solvent. Detailed characterizations also suggest that the above intensification is rationalized by the solubilization effect of microemulsion system and directional aggregation of lignin at the microemulsion interface.

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