IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i2p734-d310851.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Valorization of Lignin as a Sustainable Component of Structural Materials and Composites: Advances from 2011 to 2019

Author

Listed:
  • Menisha S. Karunarathna

    (Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA)

  • Rhett C. Smith

    (Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA)

Abstract

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic biopolymer and is the sustainable feedstock most likely to supplant petroleum-derived aromatics and downstream products. Rich in functional groups, lignin is largely peerless in its potential for chemical modification towards attaining target properties. Lignin’s crosslinked network structure can be exploited in composites to endow them with remarkable strength, as exemplified in timber and other structural elements of plants. Yet lignin may also be depolymerized, modified, or blended with other polymers. This review focuses on substituting petrochemicals with lignin derivatives, with a particular focus on applications more significant in terms of potential commercialization volume, including polyurethane, phenol-formaldehyde resins, lignin-based carbon fibers, and emergent melt-processable waste-derived materials. This review will illuminate advances from the last eight years in the prospective utilization of such lignin-derived products in a range of application such as adhesives, plastics, automotive components, construction materials, and composites. Particular technical issues associated with lignin processing and emerging alternatives for future developments are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Menisha S. Karunarathna & Rhett C. Smith, 2020. "Valorization of Lignin as a Sustainable Component of Structural Materials and Composites: Advances from 2011 to 2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:734-:d:310851
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/2/734/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/2/734/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mahmood, Nubla & Yuan, Zhongshun & Schmidt, John & Xu, Chunbao (Charles), 2016. "Depolymerization of lignins and their applications for the preparation of polyols and rigid polyurethane foams: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 317-329.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fuyao Liu & Qianqian Wang & Gongxun Zhai & Hengxue Xiang & Jialiang Zhou & Chao Jia & Liping Zhu & Qilin Wu & Meifang Zhu, 2022. "Continuously processing waste lignin into high-value carbon nanotube fibers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Yao-Tang Hsu & Wen-Hsin Wang & Wei-Hsi Hung, 2020. "Architectural Sustainability and Efficiency of Enhanced Waterproof Coating from Utilization of Waterborne Poly (Siloxane-Imide-Urethane) Copolymers on Roof Surfaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Austine Ofondu Chinomso Iroegbu & Suprakas Sinha Ray, 2021. "Bamboos: From Bioresource to Sustainable Materials and Chemicals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dessbesell, Luana & Paleologou, Michael & Leitch, Mathew & Pulkki, Reino & Xu, Chunbao (Charles), 2020. "Global lignin supply overview and kraft lignin potential as an alternative for petroleum-based polymers," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    2. Liu, Zhi-Hua & Le, Rosemary K. & Kosa, Matyas & Yang, Bin & Yuan, Joshua & Ragauskas, Arthur J., 2019. "Identifying and creating pathways to improve biological lignin valorization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 349-362.
    3. Kang, Shimin & Fu, Jinxia & Zhang, Gang, 2018. "From lignocellulosic biomass to levulinic acid: A review on acid-catalyzed hydrolysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 340-362.
    4. Lian, Richeng & Ou, Mingyu & Guan, Haocun & Cui, Jiahui & Piao, Junxiu & Feng, Tingting & Ren, Jinyong & Wang, Yaxuan & Wang, Yaofei & Liu, Lei & Chen, Xilei & Jiao, Chuanmei, 2023. "Facile fabrication of multifunctional energy-saving building materials with excellent thermal insulation, robust mechanical property and ultrahigh flame retardancy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    5. Umut Şen & Bruno Esteves & Helena Pereira, 2023. "Pyrolysis and Extraction of Bark in a Biorefineries Context: A Critical Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-23, June.
    6. Chio, Chonlong & Sain, Mohini & Qin, Wensheng, 2019. "Lignin utilization: A review of lignin depolymerization from various aspects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 232-249.
    7. Francisco Vásquez-Garay & Isabel Carrillo-Varela & Claudia Vidal & Pablo Reyes-Contreras & Mirko Faccini & Regis Teixeira Mendonça, 2021. "A Review on the Lignin Biopolymer and Its Integration in the Elaboration of Sustainable Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:734-:d:310851. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.