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Characterization of Hydrolysis Lignin Bonding Properties During the Pelletization of Eucalyptus Sawdust

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Abstract

This work assessed the effects of the bonding of hydrolysis lignin during the pelletization of eucalyptus sawdust. The characteristic thermal transition temperatures of hydrolysis lignin and eucalyptus sawdust were initially determined using differential scanning calorimetry, and the glass transition temperatures (Tg) were recorded at 94.4 and 87 °C, respectively, while their melting temperatures were recorded at 136.5 and 127.4 °C, respectively. The temperature range of 80–160 °C is set in order to include the thermal transition temperature spans of these materials. Single pellet making experiments were conducted using a uniaxial piston–cylinder compression apparatus and acceptable pellet properties were observed when pelletizing at temperatures between the end point of the Tg region and the melting temperature and at 20–30% hydrolysis lignin content. Examinations of the internal cross-sections of these pellets by scanning electron microscopy showed that cracks between particles were filled sufficiently with hydrolysis lignin, allowing particles adhere to one another tightly after the glass transition of hydrolysis lignin. The assessment of functional group changes during the pelletization process using FTIR found that the lignin evidently improves the physical properties of the pellets by reducing the quantity of some oxygen-containing functional groups while elevating the concentrations of alcohol or phenol –OH groups, hydrocarbon or naphthene –CH bonds.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51661145022), Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation Project (2017B030308002), Heilongjiang Science and Technology Planning Project, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy (y807j91001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.2, Nengyuan Rd, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Weizhen Li, Yang Jiang & Xiuli Yin

  2. CAS Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Weizhen Li, Yang Jiang & Xiuli Yin

  3. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Weizhen Li, Yang Jiang & Xiuli Yin

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  1. Weizhen Li
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  2. Yang Jiang
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  3. Xiuli Yin
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Correspondence to Yang Jiang.

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Li, W., Jiang, Y. & Yin, X. Characterization of Hydrolysis Lignin Bonding Properties During the Pelletization of Eucalyptus Sawdust. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 995–1003 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0432-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0432-5

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