WWW.TAPPI.ORG JOURNAL THE PAPER AND PACKAGING INDUSTRIES’ TECHNICAL RESOURCE MARCH 2017 | VOL. 16 NO.3 SPECIAL LIGNIN VALORIZATION CONTENT SPECIAL FEATURE 107 Lignin carbon fiber: The path for quality Qiang Li, Arthur J. Ragauskas, and Joshua S. Yuan LIGNIN PRODUCTS 111 Melt-blown compostable polyester films with lignin Wolfgang G. Glasser, Robert Loos, Blair Cox, and Nhiem Cao LIGNIN CONVERSION 123 Accelerated aging of bio-oil from lignin conversion in subcritical water Huyen Nguyen Lyckeskog, Cecilia Mattsson, Lars Olausson, Sven-Ingvar Andersson, Lennart Vamling, and Hans Theliander LIGNIN CHARACTERIZATION 145 An easy and reliable method for syringyl:guaiacyl ratio measurement Raquel Prado, Lisa Weigand, Shikh M.S.N.S. Zahari, Xabier Erdocia, Jason P. Hallett, Jalel Labidi, and Tom Welton ECONOMIC ANALYSIS 157 Analysis of economically viable lignin-based biorefinery strategies implemented within a kraft pulp mill Cédric Diffo Téguia, Rod Albers, and Paul R. Stuart Do you want uniform furnish for your paper, board or tissue machine? Absolutely. Automatic, repeatable and fast dewatering measurements are critical in high quality stock preparation and in mechanical pulping process. ABB’s new L&W Freeness Online provides paper makers with all of the information needed to supply uniform and continuous furnish for the paper, board or tissue machine. L&W Freeness Online enables monitoring and controlling QHTGƂPGTUYJKEJYKNNTGFWEGGPGTI[EQPUWORVKQPCPFJGNRVQTGCEJFGYCVGTKPIUGVRQKPVU HCUVGTCHVGTYGDDTGCMUCPFRTQFWEVKQPUVQRU6QƂPFQWVOQTGEQPVCEV[QWTNQECN#$$ account manager or visit: www.abb.com/pulpandpaper ABB AB/Lorentzen & Wettre P.O. Box 4 SE-164 93 Kista Sweden Tel: +46 8 477 90 00 836238_ABB.indd 1 30/09/16 5:28 PM WWW.TAPPI.ORG JOURNAL Editor-in-Chief Scott Rosencrance [email protected] March 2017 +1 770 429-2753 Associate Editor Brian N. Brogdon [email protected] +1 678 581-9114 TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 16 NO. 3 Editorial Director Monica Shaw [email protected] +1 770 367-9534 Vice President, Operations Eric Fletty [email protected] PRESS Manager 103 EDITORIAL Jana Jensen [email protected] +1 770 209-7242 Lignin: Today and tomorrow Webmaster Arthur J. Ragauskas Trina Heath [email protected] +1 770 209-7416 TJ EDITORIAL BOARD Brian N. Brogdon, FutureBridge Consulting & Training LLC 107 SPECIAL FEATURE [email protected], +1 678 581-9114 Lignin carbon fiber: The path for quality David A. Carlson, Carlson Consulting [email protected], +1 847 323-2685 Qiang Li, Arthur J. Ragauskas, and Joshua S. Yuan Jere W. Crouse, JWC Consulting [email protected], +1 608 362-4485 Mahendra Doshi, Doshi and Associates 111 LIGNIN PRODUCTS [email protected], +1 920 832-9101 Marc Foulger, GL&V USA Inc. Melt-blown compostable polyester films with lignin [email protected] +1 315 767-2920 Wolfgang G. Glasser, Robert Loos, Blair Cox, and Nhiem Cao Peter W. Hart, WestRock [email protected], +1 409 276-3465 Carl J. Houtman, USDA Forest Products Laboratory 123 LIGNIN CONVERSION [email protected], + 1 608 231-9445 John A. Neun, John A. Neun LLC Accelerated aging of bio-oil from lignin conversion in [email protected], +1 518 275-8139 subcritical water Jim Niemiec, Verso Corporation [email protected], +1 715 422-7404 Huyen Nguyen Lyckeskog, Cecilia Mattsson, Lars Olausson, Steven P. Ottone, Omya Sven-Ingvar Andersson, Lennart Vamling, and Hans Theliander [email protected], +1 919 641-7854 Gaurav Pranami, Imbed Biosciences [email protected], +1 515 230-7005 Arthur Ragauskas, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 145 LIGNIN CHARACTERIZATION [email protected] An easy and reliable method for syringyl:guaiacyl Gerard J.F. Ring, University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point ratio measurement [email protected], +1 715 592-3732 Scott Rosencrance, Kemira Chemicals Raquel Prado, Lisa Weigand, Shikh M.s.n.s. Zahari, Xabier Erdocia, [email protected], +1 770 429-2753 Jason P. Hallett, Jalel Labidi, and Tom Welton Ricardo B. Santos, WestRock [email protected], +1 540 969-2426 Paul Wiegand, NCASI 157 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS [email protected], +1 919 941-6417 Junyong Zhu, USDA Forest Products Laboratory Analysis of economically viable lignin-based biorefinery [email protected], +1 608 231-9520 strategies implemented within a kraft pulp mill Join TAPPI today! Cédric Diffo Téguia, Rod Albers, and Paul R. Stuart TAPPI JOURNAL is a free benefit of TAPPI membership, and is only available to members. To join TAPPI, to renew your TAPPI Membership, or to learn about other valuable benefits, visit www.tappi.org. TAPPI, 15 Technology Parkway S., Suite 115, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092, publishes TAPPI JOURNAL monthly. ATTENTION PROSPECTIVE AUTHORS: All papers published are subject to TAPPI JOURNAL’s peer-review process. Not all papers accepted for review will be published. Before submitting, check complete author guidelines at http://www.tappi.org/s_tappi/doc.asp?CID=100&DID=552877. Statements of fact and opinions expressed are those of individual authors. TAPPI assumes no responsibility for such statements and opinions. TAPPI does not intend such statements and opinions or construe them as a solicitation of or suggestion for any agreed-upon course of conduct or concerted action of any sort. »COVER CREDIT: Arthur J. Ragauskas, TJ Editorial Board Member and organizer of this special Lignin Copyright 2017 by TAPPI, all rights reserved. For copyright permission Valorization issue, wishes to thank R. Davies of the Renewable Biomaterials Institute at Georgia to photocopy pages from this publication for internal or personal use, Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, for graphic design assistance and L. Petridis of Oak Ridge National contact Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC) via their website: www.copyright.com. If you have questions about the copyright permission Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, for the lignin image, which was generated based on small-angle neutron request process, please contact CCC by phone at +1 978 750-8400. scattering (SANS) data. To obtain copyright permission to use excerpts from this publication in another published work, send your specific request in writing to Editor, TAPPI JOURNAL, 15 Technology Parkway S., Suite 115, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092, USA; or by fax to +1 770 446-6947. Send address changes to TAPPI, 15 Technology Parkway S., Suite 115, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092, USA; Telephone +1 770 446-1400, or FAX +1 770 446-6947. www.tappi.org MONTH 2007 | TAPPI JOURNAL 101 MARCH 2017 | VOL. 16 NO. 3 | TAPPI JOURNAL 101 TT NextPress. BEYOND THE STANDARD. BEHIND YOUR SUCCESS. TT NextPress, the new extended nip press, exceeds the standards of a traditional shoe press. Timely control of two rows of hydraulic pistons divided into six independently adjustable pressure areas affords perfect adaptability of the system to the Steel Yankee Dryer profile, ensuring optimal edge control. Additionally, automatic tilting adjustment allows managing the NIP curve in different operating modes. 2 ROWS OF PISTONS 6 DIFFERENT INDEPENDENTLY CONTROLLED PRESSURE AREAS FOR BETTER EDGE CONTROL NIP LOAD UP TO 150 KN/M A technology that offers concrete and measurable advantages in terms of bulk and energy savings. TT NextPress: another technological milestone. Toscotec: another instrument for your success. YOUR NEEDS, OUR SOLUTIONS. www.toscotec.com 826751_Toscotec.indd 1 8/9/16 4:34 PM Editorial ARTHUR J. Lignin: Today and tomorrow RAGAUSKAS TAPPI Journal Editorial Board Member t its foundation, the chemical pulping industry was and is still centered around removal of lignin A(Fig. 1) to produce high-quality cellulosic fibers. For sulfite pulping, the industry has well-established lignin isolation and conversion techniques to utilize lignin in several applications, including vanillin synthesis, binders, dispersion agents, emulsifiers, anti- corrosion agents, UV-absorbers, battery components, and anti-flammability agents in the future [2,3]. Challenging the status quo Although the kraft industry has histori- cally focused largely on pulp production and lignin for energy production, several developments have begun to challenge this convention from (a) enhanced energy efficiencies for pulp/papermak- ing [4], (b) lignin isolation technologies that can be incorporated into the kraft pulping platform [5,6], (c) an enhanced understanding of the structure of lignin during and after kraft pulping [7,8], and (d) new valorization conversion chemis- tries to convert kraft lignin to bio-derived chemicals, materials, and fuels [9,10,11]. In parallel, significant efforts are being 1. Illustrative softwood native lignin structure [1]. directed to convert lignin from cellulosic ethanol plants to bio-derived products. studies. Even a brief review of lignin utilization efforts In both cases, these efforts are being championed to highlights several promising translational research garner greater value from lignin, enhance mill operations, outcomes, including: and improve capital effectiveness. • Shinano, T. and Matsumura, Y., “Lubricant composition containing lignin compound,” Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Promising developments in lignin applications Koho, 2017, JP 2017008218 A 20170112. Although the manufacturing platforms for kraft • Wang, X.M., et al., “High residual content (HRC) kraft/ pulping and cellulosic ethanol are different, they will soda lignin as an ingredient in wood adhesives,” PCT undoubtedly both benefit from lignin valorization Int. Appl., 2016, WO 2016165023 A1. MARCH 2017 | VOL. 16 NO. 3 | TAPPI JOURNAL 103 • Mukerjee, S., et al., “High recycle content polyols