Investigation of the effects of different organosolv pulping methods on antioxidant capacity and extraction efficiency of lignin

Abstract Different organosolv pulping methods delignified raw materials ( Acanthopanax senticosus remainder) were investigated, including acetone–acetic acid–water method (8/1/1, v/v/v), 1,4-butanediol–acetic acid–water method (8/1/1, v/v/v), ethanol–acetic acid–water method (8/1/1, v/v/v) and acetic acid–water method (4/1, v/v). Lignin extraction efficiency and antioxidant capacity from different organosolv methods were compared. The results showed that the lignin extraction efficiency of the 1,4-butanediol–acetic acid–water method was the highest (39%) among methods of this paper. The lignin from acetic acid–water method was the most effective free radical scavengers, whose 1,1-di-phenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity (IC 50 ) was about 0.6587 mg/ml. Acanthopanax senticosus remainder (raw materials) and pulps were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and pulps strength properties. All lignin samples were analysed by Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that organosolv pulping process had large influence on pulps morphology, pulps strength properties and lignin structure.