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A research team, jointly led by Professor Ji Wook Jang, Professor Yong Hwan Kim, and Professor Sang Hoon Joo in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, has unveiled a novel biomass conversion technology that can turn forestry biomass residues (i.e., lignin) into higher value fuels and chemicals.
Lignin is a by-product of the pulp and paper industry and the second most abundant renewable biopolymer found in nature. Unlike Cellulose, the structure of lignin is extremely complex and lacks steric regularity. Such traits make lignin hard to break down and even harder to convert into something valuable. Biocatalysts, such as enzymes, are often involved in lignin degradation, thus careful quantification of the input material (i.e., H2O2) is important for the activation of catalysts.
The research team solved this issue through a compartmented photo-electro-biochemical cell, in which three catalytic systems (a photocatalyst for photovoltage generation, an electrocatalyst for H2O2 production, and a biocatalyst for lignin valorisation) are integrated for selective lignin valorisation without the need for electrical energy or additional chemicals.
This unassisted selective lignin valorisation technology could convert waste lignin to value-added aromatics and polymer without the need for any additional energy and chemicals, according to the research team.
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