Seminar

Abstract

In recent years, researchers and industry have been working to find a balance between reducing the carbon footprint of human activity and maintaining our lifestyles. Some of the best ways to find this balance are by exploring new, more readily available material sources and the developing less energy-intensive processing methods. Lignin, one of the most abundant biomass materials on earth, is an attractive candidate for the former. On the other hand, Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs), a class of liquids characterised by their cheap and simple preparation method as well as their highly tunable properties, have gained increasing attention in recent years due to their potential to support the latter goals. Several research groups have therefore been engaged in the exploration and optimization of methods for using DESs as extraction media to obtain aromatic compounds from lignin. The composition of lignin varies depending on the wood from which it originates. This can lead to considerable discrepancies between the findings of different groups working in different geographical areas; therefore, it is essential to look at their common discoveries in order to develop methods that work in as many cases as possible.