(565a) Relating Lignin Source and Processing History to Solubility in Diverse Solvents

Lignin is an important organic polymer in plant cell walls and is potentially a significant source of renewable carbon as a residue derived from the production of cellulosic biofuels. Currently, applications for many lignins are limited due to their irregular structure and poor solubility. Importantly, the processing conditions used in many biorefining processes result in modifications to lignins that further reduce its utility. In this work, we investigate (1) the modification corn stover lignins during acidic pretreatments, (2) the potential for recovery of these lignins by solubilization/modification in organic solvents or alkali, (3) relate solubilities and potential for high-yield extraction/recovery to quantifed lignin properties, and (4) assess the suitability of select recovered lignins for their application as a phenol replacement in phenol-formaldehyde resins with applications as a wood adhesive.