• Carbon letters
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• v.22
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• pp.81-88
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• 2017

In the present study, biomass-based lignin was extracted from industrial waste black liquor and the extracted lignin was characterized by means of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and $^1H-nuclear$ magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The extracted lignin was carbonized at different temperatures and then activated with steam at $850^{\circ}C$. The extracted lignin in powder state was transformed into a bulky carbonized lignin due to possible fusion between the lignin particles occurring upon carbonization. The carbonized and then pulverized lignin exhibits brittle surfaces, the increased thermal stability, and the carbon assay with increasing the carbonization temperature. The scanning electron microscopic images and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller result indicate that the steam-activated carbon has the specific surface area of $1718m^2/g$, which is markedly greater than the carbonized lignin. This study reveals that biomass-based activated carbon with highly porous structure can be produced from costless black liquor via steam-activation process.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.4024-4031
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• 2014

Nanofibers have attracted significant interest in many industrial fields because their high surface area and porosity. In addition, the continued use of petrochemical based polymers has caused the depletion of oil resources and accelerated the greenhouse effect by the emission of carbon dioxide. Therefore, biomass-based polymer has become a very important environmentally friendly alternative. In this study, nanofibers were fabricated by an electrospinning process using biomass based PEF(polyethylene furoate) prepared by the polymerization of 2,5-furandicaboxylic acid and ethylene glycol. Furthermore, the electrospun nanofiber was strongly affected by various parameters, such as the solvent, polymer concentration and electric field. In conclusion, nanofibers with an average fiber diameters of 200 - 700 nm could be prepared at polymer concentration of 15 wt% using HFIP, and their fiber diameter increased with increasing electric field.

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2010

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2017

The importance of the biomass-based activated carbon as an adsorbent has been reviewed with emphasizing on the application in the fields of energy storage and environmental related problems. It is clear from the literature survey that beside surface area and pore volume, surface chemistry also plays important role in determining their usage in various field. The capacities of biomass-based activated carbon can be increased depending upon the choice of the biomass used and the pathway taken for their activation and hence they can be tailored for various applications. Accordingly, this review summarizes the role of biomass based activated carbon in different applications.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2011

Eco-friendly materials or bio-composites were made with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as matrix polymer and kenaf fibers as filler. Also, acetylated kenaf fibers and compatibilizer were adopted in order to improve the interfacial adhesion between fiber and polymer. In this study, the effect of chemical modification and compatibilizer on the mechanical-viscoelastic and morphology properties of the bio-composites was discussed. The hydrophobic fibers by acetylation were known to show better interfacial bonding with the matrix polymer and resulted in improved performance and morphology. Viscoelastic property and glass transition temperature, however, were not nearly enhanced.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.136-151
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• 2021

Biomass lignin, a waste produced during the paper and bio-ethanol production process, is a cheap material that is available in large quantities. Thus, the interest in the valorization of biomass lignin has been increasing in industrial and academic areas. Over the years, lignin has been predominantly burnt as fuel to run pulping plants. However, less than 2% of the available lignin has been utilized for producing specialty chemicals, such as dispersants, adhesives, surfactants, and other value-added products. The development of value-added lignin-derived co-products should help make second generation biorefineries and the paper industry more profitable by valorizing lignin. Another possible approach towards value-added applications is using lignin as a component in plastics. However, blending lignin with polymers is not simple because the polarity of lignin molecules results in strong self-interactions. Therefore, achieving in-depth insights on lignin characteristics and structure will help in accelerating the development of lignin-based products. Considering the multipurpose characteristics of lignin for producing value-added products, this review will shed light on the potential applications of lignin and lignin-based derivatives on polymeric composite production. Moreover, the challenges in lignin valorization will be addressed.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2012

To manufacture of a completely biodegradable and compostable biomass -based blend polymer film, two types of cellulose acetates(DS=2.4 and DS=2.7) were blended with 5 - 50 wt% of low average molecular weight polylactide(PLA) by mixing each polymer solution having same viscosity in 10 wt% methanol/dichloromethane. Their surface morphology, thermal and mechanical properties were studied. The chemical structures of blend films were confirmed by the fourier transform IR spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection(FT-IR ATR) spectrophotometer. Scanning electron microscope(SEM) photos of blend films of both CAs with less than 5 % of PLA showed homogeneous morphology. On the contrary, the other blends with higher than 20 wt% of PLA content showed a large phase separation with spherical domains. The thermal property of blend films was also analyzed with thermogravimetric analysis(TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter(DSC). The tensile strength of CA/PLA blend films was increased up to $820kg_f/cm^2$ for TAC/PLA and $600kg_f/cm^2$ for DAC/PLA.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2020

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can absorb and retain ten to thousand times their dry mass of water because of their three-dimensional hydrophilic structures. Conventional SAPs are mainly composed of poly(acrylic acid sodium salt) derived from petrochemicals. The present work is aimed at limiting the use of the petrochemical component by replacing it with a biomass-based material. First, the core-SAP was prepared via the terpolymerization of itaconic acid, vinylsulfonic acid, and cellulose, and the optimum conditions in terms of material input ratio were determined. Following this, the core-SAP was surface-crosslinked by esterification with butane diol to improve its liquid permeability and absorbency under load (AUL). The liquid permeability was measured according to the amount of 0.9 wt.% NaCl solution passing between the swollen SAP particles under a given pressure, and the AUL was estimated from the weight of this solution absorbed under 0.3 psi pressure.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2017

The history of polyurethane is relatively shorter compared to that of the other polymers, though its importance has grown rapidly. Due to its unique properties, polyurethanes are widely applied in various fields. In particular, the automotive industry is one of the important application fields. To date, polyols and isocyanates used in the polyurethane industry are generally of petrochemical origin. Recently, owing to the oil crisis, legislation, and growing awareness towards environmental preservation, the demand for more sustainable and eco-friendly raw materials has increased. In this paper, the latest research and development trends in polyurethane applications were reviewed, with a focus on the automobile industry in areas such as seat comfort, noise reduction, light weight, biomass-based polyurethane, and recycling.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2016

Trends of bioplastics, especially biomass-based bioplastics which is one of the most promising ways to solve the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming problems, were investigated. Emerged bioplastic polymers such as polylacticacid (PLA), polyglycolicacid (PGA) for cosmetic additive, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) produced by bacterial fermentation, and cost effective starch-based polymer were discussed with their general studies. Also recent technologies of environment-friendly bioplastics for packaging and construction materials as well as disposable hygienic goods were briefly reviewed.