Improved catalytic depolymerization of lignin waste using carbohydrate derivatives.

Abstract Carbohydrate- or sugar-derived compounds were used as environmentally friendly additives for the depolymerization of Kraft lignin waste and organosolv lignin prepared from Miscanthus giganteus. The yields of the aromatic monomers obtained from Kraft lignin increased from 5.1 to 49.2% with the addition of mannitol, while those obtained from organosolv lignin increased from 44.4 to 83.0% with the addition of sucrose. This improved lignin depolymerization was also confirmed by gel permeation chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The above results clearly indicate the beneficial effects of carbohydrate derivatives on the lignin depolymersization process, more specifically, suggesting that the presence of carbohydrates improve the lignin depolymerization of lignocellulose, as observed for the raw lignocellulose feed.