NEW publication in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

In this study by Linyu Zhu, Miloš contributed during his PostDoc stay at LCT UGent.

In the quest for sustainable energy and environmental preservation, reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) of lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a powerful approach to valorize lignin. However, the precise mechanism driving the RCF process remains elusive due to analytical challenges. This study unlocks the mechanism by investigating the Pd/C-catalyzed RCF of birch wood using online high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for the first molecular-level insights. Real-time evolutions of various monomers, dimers, and oligomers bridged the gap between large lignin fragments and small phenolic products, revealing the stepwise nature of RCF. These findings underscore the importance of fine-tuning RCF conditions to enhance conversion efficiency and minimize side reactions. Moreover, this work highlights the application of advanced HRMS techniques for gaining mechanistic and kinetic insights into liquid-phase reactions, paving the way for more efficient biomass valorization technologies.

Feel free to read this work: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c01160