Electrochemical depolymerization of lignocellulosic biomass

Abstract

In this symposium, I will share our recent findings on the selective depolymerization of lignin in lignocellulosic biomass via electrochemical oxidation methods with the concurrent production of value-added aromatic molecules. A group of homogeneous redox-active species can effectively and selectively depolymerize lignin via oxidative depolymerization under precisely controlled conditions. Although the efficiency of our approach is relatively low compared to well-known reductive catalytic fractionation methods, it allows the selective depolymerization of lignin at a relatively low temperature and atmospheric pressure without the consumption of any additional chemicals. This suggests a high potential of electrochemical oxidative depolymerization methods for lignin-first biorefinery. Lastly, the limitations and future perspectives of the electrochemical methods will be discussed.