Fractionation of lignosulfonates: comparison of ultrafiltration and ethanol solubility to obtain a set of fractions with distinct properties

Abstract

Abstract Commercial lignosulfonates (LS), recovered from bisulfite pulping processes, are known for their wide polydispersity. In this study, LS were fractionated by ultrafiltration (UF) and based on their solubility in ethanol (EtOH) solutions. The combination of both methods leads to a set of fractions of varying properties, suitable for several applications. UF gives well-separated fractions, with low polydispersity, and increasing functionality (sulfonate and phenolic hydroxyl groups) with decreasing molecular weight (MW). EtOH solubility yields more polydisperse fractions but still appears to be an easy and rapid way to obtain fractions with increasing MW. The residual sugars in LS, resulting from incomplete removal of hemicelluloses, were found to be mainly in the form of low MW oligomers, which were not bound chemically to lignin. Thermal degradation of the different fractions was also compared, giving better comprehension of the influence of the structure and composition. A glass transition temperature (Tg) could be measured for some fractions and was correlated to their MW.