BTX production by breaking down lignin: Current status and future prospects

Abstract

Nowadays, lignin is a byproduct of the agricultural and cellulose pulp mill. Lignin is a sustainable, renewable raw material alternative to petroleum‐based chemicals, mainly for the benzene–toluene–xylene (BTX) production of commodities and the sequential secondary, tertiary and manufactured products in the petrochemical industry. It can be mass produced and is used for renewable energy biorefinery or high‐value‐added products. This review aims to outline the important lignin depolymerization technologies and the feasibility of imposing these transforming technologies on a large scale. Finally, this review examines the market prospects for BTX, revealing its R&D progress. However, the harmful effects of BTX and unfavorable conditions resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic comprise roadblocks to its growth. However, the increasing use of biobased BTX is expected to open new market opportunities. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lignins as Promising Renewable Biopolymers and Bioactive Compounds for High-Performance Materials

“…Production of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylenes (BTX) from lignin, as coproducts of biorefining, started in 1970, and an increasing interest still exists, as evidenced by the high number of publications and patents [76][77][78]. The processes applied to low-quality lignins are hydrothermal liquefaction operating in critical water conditions, fast pyrolysis (T > 600 • C), catalytic fast pyrolysis from agroindustrial biomass blended with PVC, and the use of NaZSM-5 and HZSM-5 as catalysts [79].…”

Investigations into the influence of nickel loading on MoO3-modified catalysts for the gas-phase hydrodeoxygenation of anisole

“…Apart from the utilization of respective products as renewable fuels, especially the production of BTX-aromatics (benzene, toluene and xylenes) seems to be an attractive route, as lignin is the most abundant polymer with aromatic rings in nature. 7,8 In Scheme 1 a simplified reaction path for the HDO of anisole, which is often used as a model substrate, to BTX-aromatics is presented.…”

Continuous Separation and Purification of Chemical Species by Continuous Liquid–Liquid Partition Chromatography Implemented with Membrane-Based Phase Separators

“…Following the validation of our model, we then present an example of natural product separation centered around some of the major components from the depolymerization of softwood lignin. Softwood lignin has recently been the center of many reviews for its economic optimization and valorization , through its use in biorefining − and applicability as a renewable biomass to use as a starting material in the polymer industry. − Finally, we present an enantioseparation of racemic propranolol, a β-adrenergic receptor blocker drug, using a chiral selector. Recently, there has been increasing interest in using chiral additives which preferentially bond with one enantiomer to skew partitioning through a three-point interaction model, as seen in Figure , and many reviews have been performed of existing studies. ,− …”