The Circular Economy Paradigm: Modification of Bagasse-Derived Lignin as a Precursor to Sustainable Hydrogel Production

Soufiane Akhramez, Ahmed Fatimi, Oseweuba Valentine Okoro, Maryam Hajiabbas, Abdelghani Boussetta, Amine Moubarik, Abderrafia Hafid, Mostafa Khouili, Julia Simińska-Stanny, Cecile Brigode and Amin Shavandi
Additional contact information
Soufiane Akhramez: ERSIC, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Beni Mellal (FPBM), Sultan Moulay Slimane University (USMS), Mghila, P.O. Box 592, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
Ahmed Fatimi: ERSIC, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Beni Mellal (FPBM), Sultan Moulay Slimane University (USMS), Mghila, P.O. Box 592, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
Oseweuba Valentine Okoro: 3BIO-BioMatter Unit, École Polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50-CP 165/61, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Maryam Hajiabbas: 3BIO-BioMatter Unit, École Polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50-CP 165/61, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Abdelghani Boussetta: CPAMT, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Beni Mellal (FPBM), Sultan Moulay Slimane University (USMS), Mghila, P.O. Box 592, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
Amine Moubarik: CPAMT, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Beni Mellal (FPBM), Sultan Moulay Slimane University (USMS), Mghila, P.O. Box 592, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
Abderrafia Hafid: LCMMC, Faculty of Science and Technology (FSTBM), University Sultan Moulay Slimane (USMS), Mghila, P.O. Box 523, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
Mostafa Khouili: LCMMC, Faculty of Science and Technology (FSTBM), University Sultan Moulay Slimane (USMS), Mghila, P.O. Box 523, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
Julia Simińska-Stanny: 3BIO-BioMatter Unit, École Polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50-CP 165/61, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Cecile Brigode: 3BIO-BioMatter Unit, École Polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50-CP 165/61, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Amin Shavandi: 3BIO-BioMatter Unit, École Polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50-CP 165/61, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: There have been many efforts to valorise lignin to produce bio-based chemicals and advanced materials. In this study, alkaline delignification was initially employed to recover lignin from the rind, pulp, and whole bagasse fractions of Moroccan sugarcane. The lignin fractions were subsequently modified via silanization and acetylation reactions. The modified lignin and raw lignin were then characterised to assess changes in their physicochemical properties via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solubility and thermogravimetric assessment, with both salinization and acetylation modification shown to enhance the solubility properties of the raw lignin of both polar and non-polar solvents. Preliminary investigations into the suitability of employing the modified lignin in hydrogel preparation were also undertaken. The preliminary hydrogels were developed using heating and freeze-thawing methods, while polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) were used as the matrix and the crosslinking agents, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), rheological analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal analysis were then used to characterize the different lignin–PVA hydrogels. The study showed that the swelling behaviour of the hydrogels was mainly influenced by the nature of the lignin (i.e., modified or raw), and the morphology of the hydrogel surfaces varied depending on the preparation methods. The study showed that the hydrogel based on silanized lignin and PVA had superior mechanical performance and swelling capacity compared to the acetylated lignin–PVA and raw lignin–PVA hydrogels.

Keywords: lignin; acetylation; silanization; biomass; waste; circular economy; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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