Die Ligninsulfosäure und ihre technische Verwertung

Summary

For a long time the lignin-sulfonic acids, obtained in very large quantities in the manufacture of sulphitepulp, have engaged the interest of chemical research workers for economic and scientific reasons. for both fields the determination of the constitution of the lignin-sulfonic acids and the knowledge of the processes taking place between lignin and sulfonic acid are of basic importance.

During the last years our institute was able to gain a broader conception of the whole problem by means of model experiments, For the first time it was possible to achieve progress in this direction through a combination of oxidative and hydrolytic decomposition and the complete elimination of the sulfonic acid radical.

Although researchers of the whole world have been working on this problem for years, no progress of any greater importance in the utilization of lignin-sulfonic acid has been made. Nevertheless experiments on the production of artificial materials from lignin-sulfonic acid as a base are very promising. By high pressure hydrogenation valuable products are obtained, although at high costs. The production of vanillin is far advanced (especially in the United States) and yields a new success of by-products which may be used with much success in combination with artificial materials, e.g. press plates.