Codesign of Combinatorial Organosolv Pretreatment (COP) and Lignin Nanoparticles (LNPs) in Biorefineries

To make biorefineries sustainable, codesign of fractionation technologies and lignin valorization has been found to be essential. Combinatorial organosolv pretreatment (COP) was thus developed in an effort to efficiently produce sugars and improve lignin processability for the fabrication of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs). COP produced greater than a 90% glucose yield and 73% xylose yield, suggesting the improved sugar release from biomass. LNPs were fabricated from the lignin fractionated by COP via antisolvent precipitation. The smallest effective diameter (142 nm) of LNPs was obtained from COP using EtOH plus sulfuric acid. These LNPs possessed a lower polydispersity index and higher zeta potential, suggesting superior uniformity and greater stability. The lignin characterization results indicated that COP using EtOH plus sulfuric acid cleaved more β-O-4 and β–β linkages and produced lignin with a higher molecular weight and increased G-lignin and C5-substituted OH contents, suggesting the generation of c...