Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth. However, it remains underutilized and is mostly burned for energy. During pulp and paper production, lignin is removed to isolate cellulose fibres, generating millions of tons of lignin-rich waste. In the Nordic countries alone, 6-7 million tons are incinerated annually. Its complex structure and poor solubility in common solvents present major barriers to its broader use. This study presents a simple method to solubilize and stabilize lignin with up to 100% yield and concentrations up to 65 wt% in biobased alcohol–water mixtures (Simonsen et al. 2024a,b, Thybring et al. 2024). The approach works across a wide range of technical lignins, including kraft, soda and organosolv lignins. These highly concentrated and stable lignin solutions create new possibilities for material applications.
Keywords: Lignin, solubility, dispersion stability, alcohol-water mixtures
Authors
Tor I. Simonsen
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Kosma J. Celmer
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Andrea Ponzecchi
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Emil E. Thybring
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Sune T. Thomsen
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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