• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.221-233
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• 2024

Lignin, a prominent constituent of woody biomass, is abundant in nature, cost-effective, and contains various functional groups, including hydroxyl groups. Owing to these characteristics, they have the potential to replace petroleum-based polyols in the polyurethane industry, offering a solution to environmental problems linked to resource depletion and CO₂ emissions. However, the structural complexity and low reactivity of lignin present challenges for its direct application in polyurethane materials. In this study, Kraft lignin (KL), a representative technical lignin, was fractionated with ethanol, an eco-friendly solvent, and mixed with conventional polyols in varying proportions to produce polyurethane films. The results of ethanol fractionation showed that the polydispersity of ethanol-soluble lignin (ESL) decreased from 3.71 to 2.72 and the hydroxyl content of ESL increased from 4.20 mmol/g to 5.49 mmol/g. Consequently, the polyurethane prepared by adding ESL was superior to the KL-based film, exhibiting improved miscibility with petrochemical-based polyols and reactivity with isocyanate groups. Consequently, the films using ESL as the polyol exhibited reduced shrinkage and a more uniform structure. Optical microscope and scanning electron microscope observations confirmed that lignin aggregation was lower in polyurethane with ESL than in that with KL. When the hydrophobicity of the samples was measured using the water contact angle, the addition of ESL resulted in higher hydrophobicity. In addition, as the amount of ESL added increased, an increase of 7.4% in the residual char was observed, and a 4.04% increase in Tmax the thermal stability of the produced polyurethane was effectively improved.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.118-126
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• 2011

A method of light pre-irradiation, one of methods modifying hydrophobic surface to hydrophilic surface in a membrane, was proposed to overcome the drawback of previous methods such as blending, chemical treatment and post-irradiation, Process of membrane preparation in the study was comprised of 4 parts as follows: firstly process of precursor preparation to introduce hydrophilic nature under atmosphere and aqueous vapor by irradiating electron beam (EB), secondly process of dope solution preparation to cast on non-woven fabrics, thirdly process of casting to prepare membrane and finally process of coagulation in non-solvent to form porous structure. The merit of this method might show simple process as well as homogenous modification compared to previous methods. To carry it out, precursor was prepared by irradiating EB to powder PVDF at 75~125 K Gray dose. Precursor prepared was analyzed by FTIR, EDS and DSC to confirm the introduction of hydrophilic function and its mechanism. From their results, it was inferred I conformed that hydrophilic function was hydroxy1 and it was introduced by dehydrozenation. Hydrophilicity of membranes prepared was evaluated by contact angle (pristine PVDF : $62^{\circ}$, 125 K Gray-PVDF$13^{\circ}$). Porosity was evaluated by mercury intrusion method, simultaneously morpholoy and surface pore size were observed by SEM phothographs. The result showed the trend that more dose of EB led to smaller pore size and to lower porosity (pristine PVDF : 82%, 125 K Gray-PVDF : 63%). Trend of water permeability was similar to result above (pristine PVDF : 892 LMH, 125 K Gray-PVDF : 355 LMH).