Editor’s note: The following article was originally issued by Georgia Institute of Technology. National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) beamline scientist Eli Stavitski collaborated with researchers at Georgia Tech to evaluate their novel method of converting lignin, an organic polymer that gives wood and plants their strength, into valuable chemicals using the force of tiny steel balls instead of solvents. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Inner-Shell Spectroscopy (ISS) beamline at NSLS-II, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, the team was able to establish the mechanism of the catalytic process that efficiently breaks the bonds of lignin compounds. For more information on Brookhaven’s role in this research, contact Denise Yazak (dyazak@bnl.gov, 631-344-6371).
Lignin is one of the most plentiful organic polymers on Earth, making up about 20 to 30 percent of the dry mass of wood and other plants.
Despite this abundance, lignin’s complex structure has challenged researchers in breaking it down into useful components that can be used in the sustainable production of chemicals, plastics, and fuels. Therefore, lignin is often discarded as waste during the production of paper and other plant-based products.
However, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed an approach that could transform lignin into valuable chemicals more efficiently than ever before.
The researchers published their findings in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering on using a method known as mechanocatalysis, which uses physical forces, such as vibration or rotation, in a ball mill to drive chemical reactions without the need for solvents, heat, or high pressure.
Carsten Sievers, a professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, explained that the first step in a lignin biorefinery is depolymerization, which breaks lignin down into small molecules.
“Unfortunately, many depolymerization processes require the use of solvents, and separating the products from solvents, catalysts, and contaminants can be complicated, energy intensive, and leave behind waste,” Sievers said.
“One way to reduce the need for these separation steps is to perform lignin depolymerization in a ball mill where collision with steel balls create environments that enable solid-state reactions without the need for solvents or liquid phases.”
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Image: Illustration of a mechanical impact that creates a reactive environment for depolymerization of biomass into value-added chemicals.