The 241st ECS Meeting, Vancouver, brought together the most active researchers in academia, government, and industry—professionals and students alike—to engage, discuss, and innovate in the areas of electrochemistry and solid state science and technology.
Siegfried Waldvogel presented on behalf of EBIO, on June 1st 2022: Electro-Conversion of Lignin to Highly Value-Added.
After cellulose and hemicellulose, lignin represent the most abundant part of the plant biomass. Due to the large waste stream originating from pulping processes, only Kraft lignin and lignosulfonates are of technical interest. Using electric current as sustainable reagent for degradation avoids transition metal catalysts and makes this approach very attractive. However, the natural complexity and stability of lignin make the depolymerization to useful organic building blocks a highly challenging task. The state of the art in the selective anodic degradation of Kraft lignin and other lignins will be reported. This contribution exclusively deals with the direct electrolysis and ex-cell approaches. The major focus will be given on the generation and cost efficient isolation of vanillin and related building blocks.
References:
[1] M. Zirbes, S. R. Waldvogel, Curr. Opin. Green Sustainable Chem. 2018, 14, 19–25.
[2] M. Zirbes, D. Schmitt, N. Beiser, D. Pitton, T. Hoffmann, S. R. Waldvogel, ChemElectroChem 2018, 6, 155–161.
[3] M. Zirbes, L. L. Quadri, M. Breiner, A. Stenglein, A. Bomm, W. Schade, S. R. Waldvogel, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2020, 8, 7300–7307.
[4] M. Breiner, M. Zirbes, S. R. Waldvogel, Green Chem. 2021, 23, 6449–6455.