How can we use all components of lignocellulosic biomass (wood, bamboo,
rice straw, sorghum etc.) without waste? We are doing several research
projects as following:
1. Selection and development of suitable fractionation methods for lignocellulosic
biomass
- Using phenols to obtain cellulose, furfural and functional lignin at
the same time
- Using hardly-used reagent to obtain novel lignin
- Using ionic liquids to separate carbohydrate and lignin
- Using alkali for biomass with low lignin content
2. Use wood chip, pellet, powder or fiber without fractionating the components
- Torrefaction: Evaluation of the mechanism and the use of by-products from hemicellulose
- Forming woody powder and fiber using natural products
- Dissolving wood powder into ionic liquid
- Lignocellulosic nanofiber
3. Pulp refinery: Use products from pulp and paper industry
- Saccharification of cellulosic fiber (Enzyme, Solid acid catalyst)
- Forming cellulosic fiber using cellulose derivatives
- Artificial woody fiber by composition of pulp and kraft lignin
- Use industrial lignins to give flame retardancy
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The previous professor of our labo, Dr. Funaoka had developed functional
lignin named lignophenol.
To know lignophenol, please refer to several review articles, for example
as shown below.
Sequential transformation and utilization of natural network polymer "LIGNIN"
Masamitsu Funaoka
Reactive & Functional Polymers (2013), 73(2), 396-404. Science Direct
A New Type of Phenolic Lignin-Based Network Polymer with the Structure-Variable Function Composed of 1,1-Diarylpropane Units,
Masamitsu Funaoka
Polymer International (1998), 47, 277-290. Wiley |
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