Transport of lignin and other lignocellulosic components through supported ionic liquid membranes

Abstract

Wood can be considered as the main renewable raw material. Until now, the production of cellulose has been the main target of wood transformation. However, the other components, mainly hemicellulose and lignin, must be taken into account for sustainable implementation of bio-refineries. The transition from low to high value added applications, specifically for lignin, requires the development of new separation processes. Supported ionic liquid membranes can be a promising option to separate and purify lignocellulosic components. The extraction from the feed phase to the stripping phase in only one stage allows the compaction of the system, without high energy demand. The main objective of this work was the analysis of the potential of supported ionic liquid membranes for lignin extraction and purification. [BMIM]MeSO4, [EMIM]EtSO4 and CYPHOS 108 were the ionic liquids chosen to impregnate PVDF membranes. The obtained results demonstrated that lignin can be extracted, but the SILMs were not selective and further study is required to determine their stability and the transport mechanisms involved.