Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a lignin composition, which process comprises: providing a lignin slurry comprising water and a water miscible organic solvent; subjecting the lignin slurry to extraction at an extraction temperature of less than 100° C. for an extraction time of at least 1 minute to provide an extracted slurry; removing liquid from the extracted slurry to provide an extracted lignin; and suspending the extracted lignin in a polar organic solvent to provide a lignin composition having a dry matter content of at least 30% by weight. The present invention also relates to a lignin composition comprising hardwood Kraft lignin and a polar organic solvent, which composition has a dry matter content of at least 30% by weight. The present invention also relates to use of the lignin composition as a fuel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process to manufacture lignin-based polyols (LBP) by ring opening polymerization (ROP) of oxiranes in the presence of lignin and in an organic solvent or mixture thereof using acidic catalysts. The LBP are suitable to manufacture polyurethanes, polycarbonates and polyesters.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to extraction methods for compatibilizing lignocellulosic biomass and residues thereof with polymers to produce value-added composites therefrom and other value-added products generated during the extraction methods.

Abstract: A curable green epoxy resin composition is described. More particularly, the curable green epoxy resin composition includes a biobinder isolated from bio-oil produced from animal waste, such as from swine manure. The biobinder can act as a curing agent for an epoxy resin component in the resin composition. Cured green epoxy resins, prepregs containing the curable green epoxy resin, and related composite materials are described. In addition, methods of preparing the curable green epoxy resin composition and of curing the curable green epoxy resin.

Abstract: It is disclosed purifies industrial lignin, performs Mannich reaction on purified industrial lignin, aldehyde and amino acid, simultaneously dopes nitrogen and sulfur elements into lignin, and performs high-temperature activation to obtain the carbonized amino acid modified lignin in accordance with a principle of green chemistry; a porous carbon material is prepared from the carbonized amino acid modified lignin by means of a two-step activation method, and an electrochemical workstation is applied to investigate electrochemical performance of the carbonized amino acid modified lignin as a supercapacitor; layered porous carbon having high specific surface area is prepared, the layered porous carbon has high specific heat capacity and stable cycle performance without attenuation when the supercapacitor is prepared from the layered porous carbon, and the method used has a wide application prospect in the aspect of preparing a porous carbon material for the supercapacitor.

Abstract: An electronic device may implement a virtual elastic queue in memory, where, as needed, the virtual elastic queue grows in size to accommodate more queue elements, or shrinks in size to free up queue-element capacity and space in the memory. The virtual elastic queue may include a virtual queue and one or more physical queues, where the virtual queue provides a mapping to the one or more physical queues, and where a data structure may represent queue elements in the one or more physical queues. Notably, the virtual queue may point to the one or more physical queues, and the one or more physical queues may point to physical queue memory where data elements are enqueued and dequeued. Note that the virtual elastic queue may not have a predefined memory size and, up to a size of the memory, may not be constrained.

Abstract: A curable green epoxy resin composition is described. More particularly, the curable green epoxy resin composition includes a biobinder isolated from bio-oil produced from animal waste, such as from swine manure. The biobinder can act as a curing agent for an epoxy resin component in the resin composition. Cured green epoxy resins, prepregs containing the curable green epoxy resin, and related composite materials are described. In addition, methods of preparing the curable green epoxy resin composition and of curing the curable green epoxy resin.

Abstract: A process for valorization of lignin includes the steps of mixing lignin; a MOF catalyst metalated with a metal atom selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, or Ni, and combinations thereof; an oxidizing agent; and an aqueous solvent. The product of this process, a charged polyacid-containing species derived from lignin, may be included in a dispersion with a dispersible particulate material, and an aqueous dispersing medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising lignin and a solvent where the lignin is functionalized with an ether group.

Abstract: A rigid polyurethane foam which is a polymerization product of a composition including a concentrated acid hydrolytic lignin, a polyol, and an isocyanate, and a method of preparing the rigid polyurethane foam.

Abstract: Lignin-rich starting material is suspended in a first medium, which is acidic and aqueous, to form a aqueous acidic suspension, which is heated and allowed to form two continuous phases, a thermoplastic lignin phase and an aqueous phase. The thermoplastic lignin phase is separated from the aqueous phase and passed through a shape giving process into a second medium which is at a temperature lower than that of the thermoplastic lignin phase and in which the thermoplastic lignin phase is essentially insoluble. Solid lignin formed in the second medium is recovered.

Abstract: In this study, commercially available softwood lignin was esterified with tall oil fatty acid (TOFA) and tested as barrier material in fiber-based packaging material. The modified lignin samples were applied with a bar coater forming an even coating on the paperboard substrate. A significant decrease in WVTR and OTR value was observed for paperboard coated with the modified lignin as well as pure TOFA used as a reference. In contrast to the TOFA coating, the modified lignin coatings exhibited a high and stable contact angle. The coating material did not affect the tensile strength of the paperboard. According to the results, the demonstration of the conversion of lignin into a value added product has been shown. Furthermore, the novel coating material shows promising properties for the development as sustainable barrier material in fiber-based packaging material to replace oil-placed barriers.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase and the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzyme that enables incorporation of monolignol ferulates, for example, including p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and sinapyl ferulate, into the lignin of plants.

Abstract: Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids can be enhanced in the presence of a phenolic solvent. Methods for digesting cellulosic biomass solids can comprise providing cellulosic biomass solids in a digestion medium comprising a phenolic solvent; and heating the cellulosic biomass solids and the digestion medium in a digestion unit in the presence of molecular hydrogen and a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen, thereby forming an alcoholic component derived from the cellulosic biomass solids and liberating lignin from the cellulosic biomass solids into the digestion medium. The methods can further comprise converting at least a portion of the lignin into a phenolic solvent and returning the phenolic solvent formed from lignin to the cellulosic biomass solids.

Abstract: The invention provides for a process for the depolymerization of lignin in an inert atmosphere to result in substituted phenolic monomer compounds. The process is catalyzed by heterogeneous solid acid catalysts and is carried out in batch or continuous mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a lignin-based substrate for soil improvement having a water-storing property, characterized by the following steps: providing lignin, oxidizing the lignin in either an aqueous alkaline suspension or a pH-neutral aqueous suspension, the pH-neutral aqueous suspension being converted into an alkaline substance after the lignin has been oxidized, cross-linking the lignin in an aqueous alkaline medium using multifunctional compounds, and neutralizing, drying, and comminuting the lignin.

Abstract: Processes for the production of polyols from sources such as dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) make use of a two-stage reaction scheme. In the first stage, the proteinaceous starting material is reacted with an aminating agent, such as diethanolamine (DEOA), to generate amino-amides and amides. These products are then reacted with an alkoxylating agent, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted epoxide to yield polyols. These polyols may be further reacted with isocyanates to give low-cost rigid polyurethane foams. In alternate forms, lignin may be directly converted to polyols by reaction with an alkoxylating agent, optionally followed by reaction with an isocyanate to produce polyurethanes.

Abstract: Modified lignin having covalently attached phosphorous containing groups and methods for preparing such compounds are described herein. The modified lignin described herein provides a renewable source of flame retardant material.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Abstract: Modified lignin having covalently attached phosphorous containing groups and methods for preparing such compounds are described herein. The modified lignin described herein provides a renewable source of flame retardant material.

Abstract: Processes for the production of polyols from sources such as dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) make use of a two-stage reaction scheme. In the first stage, the proteinaceous starting material is reacted with an aminating agent, such as diethanolamine (DEOA), to generate amino-amides and amides. These products are then reacted with an alkoxylating agent, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted epoxide to yield polyols. These polyols may be further reacted with isocyanates to give low-cost rigid polyurethane foams. In alternate forms, lignin may be directly converted to polyols by reaction with an alkoxylating agent, optionally followed by reaction with an isocyanate to produce polyurethanes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of a precursor for the production of carbon- and activated carbon fibres according to the wet- or air-gap spinning method, in which a solution of lignin and a fibre-forming polymer in a suitable solvent is extruded through the holes of a spinning nozzle into a coagulation bath, the formed thread is stretched and subsequently treated, dried at an elevated temperature and then wound up. The lignin-containing thread is an economical starting material for the production of carbon- and activated carbon fibres.

Abstract: One example embodiment includes inserting a chemical reagent into a process stream that contains one or more lignins to form one or more modified lignins. The formed one or more modified lignins are different than the one or more lignins in the process stream. The one or more modified lignins can be formed in the process stream before a precipitation stage and then separated from the process stream. Also, contaminates can be removed from the separated one or more modified lignins and the one or more modified lignins can be pressed and dried.

Abstract: A lignosulfonate compound for phase change ink of the formula wherein R is hydrogen or and wherein the cationic counterion+ is a nitrogen-alkyl cationic counterion, a nitrogen-aryl cationic counterion, a nitrogen-alkylaryl cationic counterion, or a nitrogen arylalkyl cationic counterion; and wherein the cationic counterion contains at least eight carbon atoms.

Abstract: Compositions comprising lignin and low levels of undesirable impurities, such as compounds containing sulfur, nitrogen, or metals, are disclosed.

Abstract: A concentrated acid treatment unit is composed of a reaction section and an agitation extraction section. A phenol sorped raw material obtained by defatting botanical resource-derived raw material by solvent to subject sorption phenols to sorption is introduced, thus obtaining mixed solution of phenol solution including a lignophenol derivative and concentrated acid solution including a cellulose hydrolysate. The reaction section agitates and mixes the phenol sorped raw material and concentrated acid to cause cellulose to be swollen to thereby convert lignin to lignophenol. A part of the cellulose is subjected to hydrolysis. The agitation extraction section receives the treated liquid sent from the reaction section and adds phenols for extraction thereto to cause lignophenol dispersed in the concentrated acid solution to be dissolved and extracted in phenols for extraction.

Abstract: Technology for separating lignin from alkaline solutions which arise in production of cellulose is presented. Isolated lignin can be applied, for instance, for production of carbon fibre, adhesives and binding materials, antioxidants and organic chemicals. Starting materials are non-woody plant materials, from which lignin is dissolved by sulphur free alkaline solutions at temperatures below 130° C. Lignin is precipitated by acid, and purified by hydrolyzing hemicellulose by acid or by enzymatic reactions or a combination of these. Lignin separated has a closely similar structure as lignin in plant material, and its content of functional atom groups can be controlled by changes in processing conditions.

Abstract: A method for producing a trans-esterified hydroxypropyl lignin (HPL) is provided in one example embodiment and includes precipitating a lignin, dissolving the precipitated lignin in a solution, adding a reagent to the solution, adjusting the pH of the solution, allowing reactions in the solution to occur for a predetermined amount of time, precipitating the solution to produce a precipitate, and washing, filtering, and drying the precipitate to produce the trans-esterified HPL.

Abstract: A compound includes a lignophenol derivative having a weight average molecular weight in a range of 5000 to 10000, and satisfying the following formula (1): 3.0?pH value?4.5??(1) wherein the pH value is a determined value for a liquid mixture containing 0.2 g of the lignophenol derivative added to 40 ml of pure water.

Abstract: Methods for converting waste streams from the wood pulping industry to high-value surfactants are described. For example, isolated lignin and lignosulfonate or waste streams containing lignin and lignosulfonate can be directly converted to surfactants, or they can be first converted to methylol derivatives and treated with further reagents to produce surfactants.

Abstract: A compound includes a lignophenol derivative having a weight average molecular weight in a range of 5000 to 10000, and satisfying the following formula (1): 3.0?pH value?4.5??(1) wherein the pH value is a determined value for a liquid mixture containing 0.2 g of the lignophenol derivative added to 40 ml of pure water.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a lignin-based substrate for soil improvement having a water-storing property, characterized by the following steps: providing lignin, oxidizing the lignin in either an aqueous alkaline suspension or a pH-neutral aqueous suspension, the pH-neutral aqueous suspension being converted into an alkaline substance after the lignin has been oxidized, cross-linking the lignin in an aqueous alkaline medium using multifunctional compounds, and neutralizing, drying, and comminuting the lignin.

Abstract: A molecule possessing a primary or secondary amino group and an additional functionality capable of providing a novel or improved property to a cellulose material has been permanently attached to the cellulose material in aqueous media using a water-soluble carbodiimide as the coupling agent/activator. One such molecule is 5-aminofluorescein (abbreviated as “A-fluo”) and one such cellulose material is a papermaking pulp. Papers made from a pulp furnish containing, for example, 0.01 wt. % of the “A-fluo”-attached pulp show an embedded marker feature authenticable upon UV or visible light excitation. The “A-fluo”-attached pulp can also be used for the marking and identification of a pulp furnish.

Abstract: A method for producing chemically modified lignin decomposition products. To this end, a lignin-containing starting material is decomposed into low-molecular and high-molecular lignin decomposition products under acid conditions in the presence of a liquid medium, and the low-molecular lignin decomposition products are at least largely separated in order to obtain a high-molecular fraction. Subsequently, the high-molecular lignin decomposition products present in the high-molecular fraction are converted into chemically modified lignin decomposition products. The chemically modified lignin decomposition products obtained in this way can be used, for example, as dispersing agents, complexing agents, phenol component, flocculant, thickener or auxiliary agents for cementous systems, coatings, paints or adhesives.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for separation/collection of a lignin derivative which is useful for the separation of a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-diphenylpropane unit from a mixture system containing the lignin derivative. In the Present invention, a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-dipheylpropane unit is allowed to contact with a metal oxide in a liquid medium, thereby separating the lignin derivative in the form retained on the metal oxide.

Abstract: A cationic electrodepositable coating composition is disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a Phase-Separation system plant for botanical resource, a conversion method, a concentrated acid treatment unit, and a concentrated acid treatment method by which lignin derivatives and hydrolyzed carbohydrate are manufactured out of a botanical resource efficiently and continuously. A concentrated acid treatment unit (3) is composed of a reaction section (20) and an agitation extraction section (25). A phenol sorped raw material (16) obtained by defatting botanical resource-derived raw material (15) by solvent (14) to subject sorption phenols (13) to sorption is introduced, thus obtaining mixed solution of phenol solution including a lignophenol derivative and concentrated acid solution including a cellulose hydrolysate. The reaction section (20) agitates and mixes the phenol sorped raw material (16) and concentrated acid (21A) to cause cellulose to be swollen to thereby convert lignin to lignophenol. A part of the cellulose is subjected to hydrolysis.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for separation/collection of a lignin derivative which is useful for the separation of a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-diphenylpropane unit from a mixture system containing the lignin derivative. In the Present invention, a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-dipheylpropane unit is allowed to contact with a metal oxide in a liquid medium, thereby separating the lignin derivative in the form retained on the metal oxide.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hydrocarbon conversion process additive and related processes, such as upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon material and making sponge coke. The hydrocarbon conversion process additive works with thermal processes, catalytic processes, or thermal-catalytic processes. The hydrocarbon process conversion additive includes lignin or macromolecular substructures of lignin like para-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, or sinapyl alcohol.

Abstract: The invention relates to functionalized lignin, rubber compositions which contain functionalized lignin and to products which have at least one component comprised of such rubber composition.

Abstract: Novel modified lignin polymers containing anionic, cationic, and/or alkoxy substitution are disclosed. Further, new cleaning compositions including the novel substituted lignin polymers are disclosed. Methods of forming the modified lignin polymers and cleaning compositions are disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of ethanol from woody plant material is provided, the process comprising: contacting a continuous flow of the plant material with a counter-current continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure to provide plant material depleted of lignin; removing ethanol from the lignin-depleted plant material; contacting a continuous flow of the lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure to solubilize xylose within the plant material; and hydrolyzing cellulose present in the plant material to form glucose, which in turn is fermented to produce ethanol.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for separation/collection of a lignin derivative which is useful for the separation of a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-diphenylpropane unit from a mixture system containing the lignin derivative. In the Present invention, a lignin derivative having a 1,1-diphenylpropane unit and/or a unit derived from the 1,1-dipheylpropane unit is allowed to contact with a metal oxide in a liquid medium, thereby separating the lignin derivative in the form retained on the metal oxide.

Abstract: Lignin polymers having distinctive properties, including a generally high molecular weight and generally homogeneous size distribution, as well as preservation of native reactive side groups, are isolated by solvent extraction of plant materials. Methods for isolation of lignin polymers, and for use of the isolated lignin polymers are disclosed. Compositions containing lignin isolated from plant materials, such as carbon fiber composites, resins, adhesive binders and coatings, polyurethane-based foams, rubbers and elastomers, plastics, films, paints, nutritional supplements, food and beverage additives are disclosed. Xylose and xylose derivatives, furfural, fermentable sugars, cellulose and hemi-cellulose products may be used directly or further processed. The lignin polymers and other plant-derived products disclosed herein may be produced in abundance at low cost, and may be used as substitutes for feedstocks originating from fossil fuel or petrochemical sources in the manufacture of various products.

Abstract: A lignophenol derivative is represented by Formula (1): wherein X1, X2 and X3 each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amino group, or an amide group; a and c each independently is an integer of 0 to 3; b is an integer of 0 to 4; and n is an integer of 1 to 10000.

Abstract: A lignophenol derivative is represented by Formula (1): wherein X1, X2 and X3 each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amino group, or an amide group; a and c each independently is an integer of 0 to 3; b is an integer of 0 to 4; and n is an integer of 1 to 10000.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing novel lignin derivatives, which comprises using a lignophenol derivative containing a diphenylpropane unit formed by binding a carbon atom at an ortho-position relative to a phenolic hydroxyl group of a phenol derivative to a carbon atom at a benzyl-position of a phenylpropane fundamental unit of lignin, and binding an oxygen atom of the hydroxyl group and a ?-positional carbon atom under alkali conditions under which the hydroxyl group can dissociate, to obtain an arylcoumaran derivative containing an arylcoumaran unit in which a coumaran skeleton is bound to an aromatic ring of lignin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to biomass resin composition comprising a phenolized biomass substance and a reactive substance having a melting point of at most 100° C. other than phenol. The biomass resin composition is prepared by a process, which comprises adding a reactive substance such as a phenol derivative or drying oil into the reaction system, in the step of preparing a phenolized biomass substance by phenolizing a biomass substance with a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst. The present invention provides a biomass resin composition, in which the melting point can be freely controlled and which is excellent in properties such as flowability, processability, water resistance and impact resistance and can be prepared by a simple process, and a process for preparing the same.