This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.

Prof. Art Ragauskas
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Paper Science and Technology at Georgia Institute of Technology, 500 10th St., NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0620, USA

Basic Info


Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Biofuels
0 Nanocellulose
0 Biorefinery
0 bio-based materials and chemicals
0 biopower

Fingerprints

Biofuels
Biorefinery
Nanocellulose
bio-based materials and chemicals
biopower

Honors and Awards

The user has no records in this section


Career Timeline

The user has no records in this section.


Short Biography

The user biography is not available.
Following
Followers
Co Authors
The list of users this user is following is empty.
Following: 0 users

Feed

Research article
Published: 17 August 2021 in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Acetic acid (AC) hydrolysis has been reported to prepare xylooligosaccharides (XOS) from poplar. However, the influence of AC hydrolysis on the lignin structure changes is not clear, which is important for the following enzymatic hydrolysis of poplar. Herein, AC was used to produce XOS, and cellulase adsorption on cellulolytic enzyme lignin (CEL) from AC-hydrolyzed poplar and its inhibitory effect on two commercial cellulase preparations were investigated. AC hydrolysis gave a XOS yield of 39.8% from poplar. After AC hydrolysis at 170 °C, the hydrophobicity and ζ-potential of CEL decreased to 2.3 L/g and 14.8 mV, respectively. The adsorption strength of CTec2 on CEL samples did not increase by AC hydrolysis, and the inhibitory effect of CEL on Celluclast 1.5L and β-glucosidase was observed, but not on CTec2. CEL samples improved the lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) activity of the enzymatic hydrolysis by CTec2. After CEL samples were added in enzymatic hydrolysis, the free filter paper activity of Celluclast 1.5L and β-G retained in the enzymatic hydrolysate decreased from 60.5 to 29.3–42.9%. The addition of CEL samples in enzymatic hydrolysis could not decrease the free filter paper activity of CTec2 retained in the enzymatic hydrolysate. In the enzymatic hydrolysis with CEL samples, higher glucose yields were obtained by CTec2 than those by Celluclast 1.5L and β-glucosidase. This work will help to understand the structure and inhibitory effects of AC-CELs and guide the development of AC hydrolysis for the production of XOS and monosaccharides from poplar.

ACS Style

Peiyao Wen; Tian Zhang; Liting Wei; Jinye Wang; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Ying Zhang; Yong Xu; Junhua Zhang. Effect of Dilute Acetic Acid Hydrolysis on Xylooligosaccharide Production and the Inhibitory Effect of Cellulolytic Enzyme Lignin from Poplar. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Peiyao Wen, Tian Zhang, Liting Wei, Jinye Wang, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Ying Zhang, Yong Xu, Junhua Zhang. Effect of Dilute Acetic Acid Hydrolysis on Xylooligosaccharide Production and the Inhibitory Effect of Cellulolytic Enzyme Lignin from Poplar. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Peiyao Wen; Tian Zhang; Liting Wei; Jinye Wang; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Ying Zhang; Yong Xu; Junhua Zhang. 2021. "Effect of Dilute Acetic Acid Hydrolysis on Xylooligosaccharide Production and the Inhibitory Effect of Cellulolytic Enzyme Lignin from Poplar." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering , no. : 1.

Review
Published: 17 August 2021 in ChemistryOpen
Reads 0
Downloads 0

There is a need for high-performance applications for terephthalic acid (TPA) polyesters with high heat resistance, impact toughness, and optical clarity. Bisphenol A (BPA) based polycarbonates and polyarylates have such properties, but BPA is an endocrine disruptor. Therefore, new TPA polyesters that are less hazardous to health and the environment are becoming popular. Tetramethylcyclobutanediol (TMCD) is a difunctional monomer that can be polymerized with TPA and other diols to yield copolyesters with superior properties to conventional TPA polyesters. It has a cyclobutyl ring that makes it more rigid than cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) and EG. Thus, TMCD containing TPA copolyesters can have high heat resistance and impact strength. TPA can be made from abundantly available upcycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Therefore, this review discusses the synthesis of monomers and copolyesters, the impact of diol composition on material properties, molecular weight, effects of photodegradation, health safety, and substitution of cyclobutane diols for future polyesters.

ACS Style

Samarthya Bhagia; Kamlesh Bornani; Soydan Ozcan; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Terephthalic Acid Copolyesters Containing Tetramethylcyclobutanediol for High‐Performance Plastics. ChemistryOpen 2021, 10, 830 -841.

AMA Style

Samarthya Bhagia, Kamlesh Bornani, Soydan Ozcan, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Terephthalic Acid Copolyesters Containing Tetramethylcyclobutanediol for High‐Performance Plastics. ChemistryOpen. 2021; 10 (8):830-841.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Samarthya Bhagia; Kamlesh Bornani; Soydan Ozcan; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Terephthalic Acid Copolyesters Containing Tetramethylcyclobutanediol for High‐Performance Plastics." ChemistryOpen 10, no. 8: 830-841.

Journal article
Published: 16 August 2021 in Renewable Energy
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Densification of lignocellulosic biomass is beneficial for its logistics, and in some situations, also for its application in biorefineries. In this study, industrial pellets and laboratory-made pellets produced at different die temperatures (90, 125 °C) from wheat straw, beech, and pine were pretreated (by dilute acid and alkali) and enzymatically hydrolyzed to study the effects of pelleting on pretreatment and sugar yield. The results showed that industrial pelleting positively affected sugar yield of the three biomasses for both acid and alkaline pretreatments, while laboratory pelleting affected sugar yield differently related to pretreatment types and biomass species. Pelleting disturbed biomass cell wall structure and affected the stability of hemicellulose and β-O-4′ linkages in lignin. The extent of hemicellulose solubility during acid pretreatment and the amount of lignin β-O-4′ ether linkages present in acid pretreated substrates could serve as indicators of the effect of pelleting on sugar yield. The structural modifications caused by pelleting and their effects on the enzymatic sugar yield correlate tightly to pelleting technology, pretreatment method, and biomass species. The discrepant effects between industrial and laboratory pelleting on sugar yield observed in this study should be considered when designing future studies.

ACS Style

Chunxiao Gong; Sune Tjalfe Thomsen; Xianzhi Meng; Yunqiao Pu; Maria Puig-Arnavat; Nathan Bryant; Samarthya Bhagia; Claus Felby; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen. Effects of different pelleting technologies and parameters on pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Renewable Energy 2021, 179, 2147 -2157.

AMA Style

Chunxiao Gong, Sune Tjalfe Thomsen, Xianzhi Meng, Yunqiao Pu, Maria Puig-Arnavat, Nathan Bryant, Samarthya Bhagia, Claus Felby, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen. Effects of different pelleting technologies and parameters on pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Renewable Energy. 2021; 179 ():2147-2157.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chunxiao Gong; Sune Tjalfe Thomsen; Xianzhi Meng; Yunqiao Pu; Maria Puig-Arnavat; Nathan Bryant; Samarthya Bhagia; Claus Felby; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen. 2021. "Effects of different pelleting technologies and parameters on pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass." Renewable Energy 179, no. : 2147-2157.

Research article
Published: 01 August 2021 in Accounts of Materials Research
Reads 0
Downloads 0

As one of the most abundant and versatile natural materials on Earth, recently wood has attracted tremendous attention from scientists and engineers due to its outstanding advantages, including hierarchically porous microstructure, high mechanical strength, environmental friendliness, renewability, and biodegradability. Wood’s hierarchically porous structure and chemical components (e.g., cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin) enable its mechanical, ionic, optical, and thermal properties to be tuned via physical, chemical, and/or thermal modifications. Among these various approaches, the chemical delignification of bulk wood is the most fascinating, in which the majority of lignin and hemicelluloses is removed while leaving the cellulose intact, maintaining wood’s physical integrity and hierarchical structure. This delignified structure is unique, composed of hollow, aligned channels made up of cellulose microfibrils, and particularly attractive given its origin from a sustainable and renewable resource. As a result, delignified wood has attracted increasing attention for applications that go far beyond traditional wood utilization, such as lightweight yet strong structural materials, energy storage and conversion, environmental remediation, flexible electronics, and bioengineering. This Account reviews recent developments in bulk wood delignification strategies toward the achievement of such advanced wood technologies for sustainable applications, with a focus on the research in our group. Similar to chemical pulping and bleaching, wood delignification involves a series of nucleophilic reactions based on alkaline Na2SO3 or Na2S systems (i.e., chemical pulping) or electrophilic, radical, and oxidation reactions based on H2O2, ClO2, or NaClO systems (i.e., chemical bleaching) to deconstruct, fragment, and promote the hydrophilicity of lignin macromolecules, which finally make lignin easier to be removed. We discuss the structure and properties of partially and near-completely delignified wood, with a focus on process-structure–property relationships. The resulting delignified wood materials, with tunable structure and properties, demonstrate various advanced functions, in a wide range of advanced applications, such as building and construction, green energy, and electronics. Finally, the potential challenges and appealing perspectives of in situ wood delignification are discussed. In situ wood delignification, as a powerful modification strategy, has speeded up the development of advanced wood technologies and wood-based functional materials and products.

ACS Style

Jianguo Li; Chaoji Chen; J. Y. Zhu; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Liangbing Hu. In Situ Wood Delignification toward Sustainable Applications. Accounts of Materials Research 2021, 2, 606 -620.

AMA Style

Jianguo Li, Chaoji Chen, J. Y. Zhu, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Liangbing Hu. In Situ Wood Delignification toward Sustainable Applications. Accounts of Materials Research. 2021; 2 (8):606-620.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jianguo Li; Chaoji Chen; J. Y. Zhu; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Liangbing Hu. 2021. "In Situ Wood Delignification toward Sustainable Applications." Accounts of Materials Research 2, no. 8: 606-620.

Journal article
Published: 28 July 2021 in Fuel
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The main objective of the present study is to investigate the effect of a Lewis acid, Brønsted acid, and their combined use on the hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass. Hydrothermal liquefaction of teak wood was conducted at 250, 300 and 350 °C for 15, 30 and 60 min. Hydrothermal liquefaction of teak wood was carried out at 300 °C for 30 min (the best optimum conditions) without and with the use of Mg(ClO4)2, HClO4, and HClO4/Mg(ClO4)2 at various loadings (2–10 mmol/15 g wood). The highest bio-oil yield was obtained with the non-catalytic run. All tested catalysts have negative effect on bio-oil yields. The bio-oil yields generally decreased with increasing the catalyst loadings. The deoxygenation degree in bio-oils changed depending on the type of catalyst and loading. A high degree of de-oxygenation took place with Mg(ClO4)2 catalysts. An increased catalyst loading led to decreased aromatic contents of bio-oils catalysed by either Mg(ClO4)2 or HClO4. The use of a catalyst increased total naphtha fractions in bio-oils. The highest heating value of the bio-oil was estimated to be approximately 30 MJ/kg. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the bio-oils from the non-catalytic and catalytic runs contained aldehydes, ketones, phenols, acids, esters and alcohols. The relative yields of the oxygenated compounds were affected by catalyst type.

ACS Style

Koray Alper; Yun-Yan Wang; Xianzhi Meng; Kubilay Tekin; Selhan Karagoz; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Use of a Lewis acid, a Brønsted acid, and their binary mixtures for the hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulose. Fuel 2021, 304, 121398 .

AMA Style

Koray Alper, Yun-Yan Wang, Xianzhi Meng, Kubilay Tekin, Selhan Karagoz, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Use of a Lewis acid, a Brønsted acid, and their binary mixtures for the hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulose. Fuel. 2021; 304 ():121398.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Koray Alper; Yun-Yan Wang; Xianzhi Meng; Kubilay Tekin; Selhan Karagoz; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Use of a Lewis acid, a Brønsted acid, and their binary mixtures for the hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulose." Fuel 304, no. : 121398.

Journal article
Published: 23 June 2021 in Nature Communications
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Biological lignin valorization has emerged as a major solution for sustainable and cost-effective biorefineries. However, current biorefineries yield lignin with inadequate fractionation for bioconversion, yet substantial changes of these biorefinery designs to focus on lignin could jeopardize carbohydrate efficiency and increase capital costs. We resolve the dilemma by designing ‘plug-in processes of lignin’ with the integration of leading pretreatment technologies. Substantial improvement of lignin bioconversion and synergistic enhancement of carbohydrate processing are achieved by solubilizing lignin via lowering molecular weight and increasing hydrophilic groups, addressing the dilemma of lignin- or carbohydrate-first scenarios. The plug-in processes of lignin could enable minimum polyhydroxyalkanoate selling price at as low as $6.18/kg. The results highlight the potential to achieve commercial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates as a co-product of cellulosic ethanol. Here, we show that the plug-in processes of lignin could transform biorefinery design toward sustainability by promoting carbon efficiency and optimizing the total capital cost.

ACS Style

Zhi-Hua Liu; Naijia Hao; Yun-Yan Wang; Chang Dou; Furong Lin; Rongchun Shen; Renata Bura; David B. Hodge; Bruce E. Dale; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Bin Yang; Joshua S. Yuan. Transforming biorefinery designs with ‘Plug-In Processes of Lignin’ to enable economic waste valorization. Nature Communications 2021, 12, 1 -13.

AMA Style

Zhi-Hua Liu, Naijia Hao, Yun-Yan Wang, Chang Dou, Furong Lin, Rongchun Shen, Renata Bura, David B. Hodge, Bruce E. Dale, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Bin Yang, Joshua S. Yuan. Transforming biorefinery designs with ‘Plug-In Processes of Lignin’ to enable economic waste valorization. Nature Communications. 2021; 12 (1):1-13.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhi-Hua Liu; Naijia Hao; Yun-Yan Wang; Chang Dou; Furong Lin; Rongchun Shen; Renata Bura; David B. Hodge; Bruce E. Dale; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Bin Yang; Joshua S. Yuan. 2021. "Transforming biorefinery designs with ‘Plug-In Processes of Lignin’ to enable economic waste valorization." Nature Communications 12, no. 1: 1-13.

Review
Published: 09 June 2021 in Applied Materials Today
Reads 0
Downloads 0

3D printing by fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an advanced additive manufacturing technology for making thermoplastic-based structures. Several studies have recently investigated 3D printing of polylactic acid (PLA) with biomass resources like cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and whole biomass. Such biodegradable composites are better for the environment and can be used to replace non-biodegradable composites in a variety of applications. Therefore, a deep understanding of printing such biocomposites is needed for supporting such manufacturing. Recent developments focused on FDM printing of PLA filled with biomass resources have been critically reviewed to reveal the intricate aspects of manufacturing of such materials and characterization of the changes caused by biomass-based fillers. Properties of high molecular weight PLA, essentials of printing with PLA and conditions for filament extrusion and printing of biocomposites are discussed. Characterization results from mechanical testing, thermal analysis, viscoelastic properties, imaging and spectroscopy are reviewed for understanding the impact of filling biomass resources in PLA by printing. The latter sections discuss applications, upcycling & recycling and future opportunities for biorefineries.

ACS Style

Samarthya Bhagia; Kamlesh Bornani; Ruchi Agrawal; Alok Satlewal; Jaroslav Ďurkovič; Rastislav Lagaňa; Meher Bhagia; Chang Geun Yoo; Xianhui Zhao; Vlastimil Kunc; Yunqiao Pu; Soydan Ozcan; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Critical review of FDM 3D printing of PLA biocomposites filled with biomass resources, characterization, biodegradability, upcycling and opportunities for biorefineries. Applied Materials Today 2021, 24, 101078 .

AMA Style

Samarthya Bhagia, Kamlesh Bornani, Ruchi Agrawal, Alok Satlewal, Jaroslav Ďurkovič, Rastislav Lagaňa, Meher Bhagia, Chang Geun Yoo, Xianhui Zhao, Vlastimil Kunc, Yunqiao Pu, Soydan Ozcan, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Critical review of FDM 3D printing of PLA biocomposites filled with biomass resources, characterization, biodegradability, upcycling and opportunities for biorefineries. Applied Materials Today. 2021; 24 ():101078.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Samarthya Bhagia; Kamlesh Bornani; Ruchi Agrawal; Alok Satlewal; Jaroslav Ďurkovič; Rastislav Lagaňa; Meher Bhagia; Chang Geun Yoo; Xianhui Zhao; Vlastimil Kunc; Yunqiao Pu; Soydan Ozcan; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Critical review of FDM 3D printing of PLA biocomposites filled with biomass resources, characterization, biodegradability, upcycling and opportunities for biorefineries." Applied Materials Today 24, no. : 101078.

Paper
Published: 19 May 2021 in Green Chemistry
Reads 0
Downloads 0

A facile alkali sterilization strategy without any heat input makes lignin dispersion no longer a bottleneck limiting biological lignin valorization.

ACS Style

Zhi-Min Zhao; Shuyang Zhang; Xianzhi Meng; Yunqiao Pu; Zhi-Hua Liu; William K. Ledford; S. Michael Kilbey; Bing-Zhi Li; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Elucidating the mechanisms of enhanced lignin bioconversion by an alkali sterilization strategy. Green Chemistry 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Zhi-Min Zhao, Shuyang Zhang, Xianzhi Meng, Yunqiao Pu, Zhi-Hua Liu, William K. Ledford, S. Michael Kilbey, Bing-Zhi Li, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Elucidating the mechanisms of enhanced lignin bioconversion by an alkali sterilization strategy. Green Chemistry. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhi-Min Zhao; Shuyang Zhang; Xianzhi Meng; Yunqiao Pu; Zhi-Hua Liu; William K. Ledford; S. Michael Kilbey; Bing-Zhi Li; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Elucidating the mechanisms of enhanced lignin bioconversion by an alkali sterilization strategy." Green Chemistry , no. : 1.

Chapter
Published: 01 May 2021 in Emerging Technologies for Biorefineries, Biofuels, and Value-Added Commodities
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Lignin valorization is essential for achieving profitable and sustainable biorefinery. However, the complex structure of lignin and the presence of lignin–carbohydrate complex (LCC) result in a series of obstacles that contribute to biomass recalcitrance. In addition, the heterogeneity of lignin and the unclear relationship between lignin structure and its activity significantly restrict the lignin valorization process. Therefore, this chapter provides the progress toward lignin valorization in three aspects. First, various fractionation strategies developed in recent years have been summarized to evaluate how uniform lignin fractions could be produced. Second, recent advances in lignin characterization techniques as well as their important roles for understanding lignin structure and providing guidance for lignin processing are systematically investigated and reviewed. Besides these, promising lignin bioconversion approaches through fermentation have been provided in detail. Fermentation intensification strategies are systematically examined from the aspects of microbial strains, substrates, and processes design. With the increase in fundamental understanding of lignin structure–activity relationships, a more directional and controllable lignin valorization path could be developed to contribute to the profitability and sustainability of biorefineries.

ACS Style

Zhi-Min Zhao; Yan Chen; Xianzhi Meng; Siying Zhang; Jingya Wang; Zhi-Hua Liu; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Lignin Valorization in Biorefineries Through Integrated Fractionation, Advanced Characterization, and Fermentation Intensification Strategies. Emerging Technologies for Biorefineries, Biofuels, and Value-Added Commodities 2021, 337 -362.

AMA Style

Zhi-Min Zhao, Yan Chen, Xianzhi Meng, Siying Zhang, Jingya Wang, Zhi-Hua Liu, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Lignin Valorization in Biorefineries Through Integrated Fractionation, Advanced Characterization, and Fermentation Intensification Strategies. Emerging Technologies for Biorefineries, Biofuels, and Value-Added Commodities. 2021; ():337-362.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhi-Min Zhao; Yan Chen; Xianzhi Meng; Siying Zhang; Jingya Wang; Zhi-Hua Liu; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Lignin Valorization in Biorefineries Through Integrated Fractionation, Advanced Characterization, and Fermentation Intensification Strategies." Emerging Technologies for Biorefineries, Biofuels, and Value-Added Commodities , no. : 337-362.

Journal article
Published: 28 April 2021 in Materials & Design
Reads 0
Downloads 0

In this study, poplar wood flour at various concentrations (1–10 wt%) is incorporated into a methacrylate-based resin via solution blending to fabricate wood-reinforced composites using stereolithography apparatus (SLA) 3D printing. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) along with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis shows the presence of a small amount of residual monomer in the printed samples. For the printed composites, the glass transition temperature (Tg) from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) decreases as more wood flour is incorporated, which indicates an increase in free volume occupied by polymer chains. The tensile strength is improved up to 17.3% from 21.1 MPa (no wood flour) to 24.7 MPa (1.0 wt% wood flour). The highest Young’s modulus reaches 323.8 MPa (2.0 wt% wood flour), which is 1.9-fold of that of the sample without wood flour. Moreover, the composites show “stress whitening” with the addition of wood flour during the uniaxial drawing. Morphology analysis of the tested samples show that the formation of microcraze and microvoids likely causing the stress whitening. This is the first study that demonstrates wood flour can be utilized in SLA 3D printed wood plastic composites (WPC) which can reinforce the printed products with a modest loading amount.

ACS Style

Shuyang Zhang; Samarthya Bhagia; Mi Li; Xianzhi Meng; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Wood-reinforced composites by stereolithography with the stress whitening behavior. Materials & Design 2021, 206, 109773 .

AMA Style

Shuyang Zhang, Samarthya Bhagia, Mi Li, Xianzhi Meng, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Wood-reinforced composites by stereolithography with the stress whitening behavior. Materials & Design. 2021; 206 ():109773.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shuyang Zhang; Samarthya Bhagia; Mi Li; Xianzhi Meng; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Wood-reinforced composites by stereolithography with the stress whitening behavior." Materials & Design 206, no. : 109773.

Research article
Published: 26 April 2021 in Biomacromolecules
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The structural complexity and robust intermolecular interactions have challenged the incorporation of technical lignin into value-added polymeric materials for decades. To study the correlation between lignin molecular structure and material properties of lignin-based polyurethanes, we applied co-solvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation pretreatment followed by sequential precipitation to produce three distinct lignin preparations with narrowly distributed (molecular weight dispersity <2) and comparatively low molecular weight (<1500 g/mol) from poplar biomass. Structural characterization indicated that these lignin preparations differed in average molecular chain length and stiffness as well as hydroxyl group distribution. Secondary hydroxyl group providers such as aliphatic diols and polyethers were incorporated as building blocks into the lignin-based polyurethanes to provide additional hydrogen capacity to improve the dispersion of lignin in the polyurethane network. The selected aliphatic diols and polyethers interacted with lignin molecules at different levels of strength depending on their molecular structure, and their impacts were ultimately reflected in the mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting lignin-based polyurethanes. The copolymerization of technical lignin with tailored structure and secondary hydroxyl providers could provide new strategies in formulating lignin-based/containing polyurethanes for various functional applications.

ACS Style

Yun-Yan Wang; Brent Scheidemantle; Charles E. Wyman; Charles M. Cai; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Polyurethanes Based on Unmodified and Refined Technical Lignins: Correlation between Molecular Structure and Material Properties. Biomacromolecules 2021, 22, 2129 -2136.

AMA Style

Yun-Yan Wang, Brent Scheidemantle, Charles E. Wyman, Charles M. Cai, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Polyurethanes Based on Unmodified and Refined Technical Lignins: Correlation between Molecular Structure and Material Properties. Biomacromolecules. 2021; 22 (5):2129-2136.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yun-Yan Wang; Brent Scheidemantle; Charles E. Wyman; Charles M. Cai; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Polyurethanes Based on Unmodified and Refined Technical Lignins: Correlation between Molecular Structure and Material Properties." Biomacromolecules 22, no. 5: 2129-2136.

Article
Published: 05 April 2021 in Journal of Polymer Science
Reads 0
Downloads 0

High speed friction grinding has been used to grind plant and food substances in water but never been explored for grinding of thermoplastics like polylactic acid (PLA), low and high density polyethylene and polypropylene. Such grinding was investigated in this work and was made possible by using 0.5% guar gum solution instead of just water because increasing the viscosity of water reduced their settling and the speed of passing through the grinder. Tensile, flexural, and impact strengths of the plastics were studied and higher grinding efficiency of PLA could be explained by its low elongation‐at‐break compared to low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene. The microplastics (2000–45 μm) were studied for mass and particle size distributions and by scanning electron microscopy, 13C CP/MAS NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, viscosity of guar gum and contact angles was measured. This new technology can produce finely ground microplastics (710–45 μm) for a variety of applications.

ACS Style

Samarthya Bhagia; Nidia C. Gallego; Nitilaksha Hiremath; David P. Harper; Richard A. Lowden; Yunqiao Pu; Uday Vaidya; Soydan Ozcan; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Fine grinding of thermoplastics by high speed friction grinding assisted by guar gum. Journal of Polymer Science 2021, 138, 50797 .

AMA Style

Samarthya Bhagia, Nidia C. Gallego, Nitilaksha Hiremath, David P. Harper, Richard A. Lowden, Yunqiao Pu, Uday Vaidya, Soydan Ozcan, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Fine grinding of thermoplastics by high speed friction grinding assisted by guar gum. Journal of Polymer Science. 2021; 138 (32):50797.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Samarthya Bhagia; Nidia C. Gallego; Nitilaksha Hiremath; David P. Harper; Richard A. Lowden; Yunqiao Pu; Uday Vaidya; Soydan Ozcan; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Fine grinding of thermoplastics by high speed friction grinding assisted by guar gum." Journal of Polymer Science 138, no. 32: 50797.

Paper
Published: 24 February 2021 in Green Chemistry
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Lignin from different biomass feedstock has been explored to make quality carbon fiber. The mechanistic study revealed the β-O-4 linkages of lignin linearly correlated to both mechanical and electroconductive performance of carbon fibers.

ACS Style

Qiang Li; Cheng Hu; Mengjie Li; Phuc Truong; Jinghao Li; Hao-Sheng Lin; Mandar T. Naik; Sisi Xiang; Brian E. Jackson; Winson Chun-Hsin Kuo; Wenhao Wu; Yunqiao Pu; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Joshua S. Yuan. Enhancing the multi-functional properties of renewable lignin carbon fibers via defining the structure–property relationship using different biomass feedstocks. Green Chemistry 2021, 23, 3725 -3739.

AMA Style

Qiang Li, Cheng Hu, Mengjie Li, Phuc Truong, Jinghao Li, Hao-Sheng Lin, Mandar T. Naik, Sisi Xiang, Brian E. Jackson, Winson Chun-Hsin Kuo, Wenhao Wu, Yunqiao Pu, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Joshua S. Yuan. Enhancing the multi-functional properties of renewable lignin carbon fibers via defining the structure–property relationship using different biomass feedstocks. Green Chemistry. 2021; 23 (10):3725-3739.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Qiang Li; Cheng Hu; Mengjie Li; Phuc Truong; Jinghao Li; Hao-Sheng Lin; Mandar T. Naik; Sisi Xiang; Brian E. Jackson; Winson Chun-Hsin Kuo; Wenhao Wu; Yunqiao Pu; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Joshua S. Yuan. 2021. "Enhancing the multi-functional properties of renewable lignin carbon fibers via defining the structure–property relationship using different biomass feedstocks." Green Chemistry 23, no. 10: 3725-3739.

Review article
Published: 18 February 2021 in ACS Nano
Reads 0
Downloads 0

In nature, cellulose nanofibers form hierarchical structures across multiple length scales to achieve high-performance properties and different functionalities. Cellulose nanofibers, which are separated from plants or synthesized biologically, are being extensively investigated and processed into different materials owing to their good properties. The alignment of cellulose nanofibers is reported to significantly influence the performance of cellulose nanofiber-based materials. The alignment of cellulose nanofibers can bridge the nanoscale and macroscale, bringing enhanced nanoscale properties to high-performance macroscale materials. However, compared with extensive reviews on the alignment of cellulose nanocrystals, reviews focusing on cellulose nanofibers are seldom reported, possibly because of the challenge of aligning cellulose nanofibers. In this review, the alignment of cellulose nanofibers, including cellulose nanofibrils and bacterial cellulose, is extensively discussed from different aspects of the driving force, evaluation, strategies, properties, and applications. Future perspectives on challenges and opportunities in cellulose nanofiber alignment are also briefly highlighted.

ACS Style

Kai Li; Caitlyn M. Clarkson; Lu Wang; Yu Liu; Meghan Lamm; Zhenqian Pang; Yubing Zhou; Ji Qian; Mehdi Tajvidi; Douglas J. Gardner; Halil Tekinalp; Liangbing Hu; Teng Li; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Jeffrey P Youngblood; Soydan Ozcan. Alignment of Cellulose Nanofibers: Harnessing Nanoscale Properties to Macroscale Benefits. ACS Nano 2021, 15, 3646 -3673.

AMA Style

Kai Li, Caitlyn M. Clarkson, Lu Wang, Yu Liu, Meghan Lamm, Zhenqian Pang, Yubing Zhou, Ji Qian, Mehdi Tajvidi, Douglas J. Gardner, Halil Tekinalp, Liangbing Hu, Teng Li, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Jeffrey P Youngblood, Soydan Ozcan. Alignment of Cellulose Nanofibers: Harnessing Nanoscale Properties to Macroscale Benefits. ACS Nano. 2021; 15 (3):3646-3673.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kai Li; Caitlyn M. Clarkson; Lu Wang; Yu Liu; Meghan Lamm; Zhenqian Pang; Yubing Zhou; Ji Qian; Mehdi Tajvidi; Douglas J. Gardner; Halil Tekinalp; Liangbing Hu; Teng Li; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Jeffrey P Youngblood; Soydan Ozcan. 2021. "Alignment of Cellulose Nanofibers: Harnessing Nanoscale Properties to Macroscale Benefits." ACS Nano 15, no. 3: 3646-3673.

Paper
Published: 13 January 2021 in Green Chemistry
Reads 0
Downloads 0

A novel biomass processing approach that adding surfactant during pelleting and using the pellets for pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification was proposed.

ACS Style

Chunxiao Gong; Nathan Bryant; Xianzhi Meng; Samarthya Bhagia; Yunqiao Pu; Donglin Xin; Christian Bender Koch; Claus Felby; Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen; Arthur Ragauskas; Sune Tjalfe Thomsen. Double bonus: surfactant-assisted biomass pelleting benefits both the pelleting process and subsequent enzymatic saccharification of the pretreated pellets. Green Chemistry 2021, 23, 1050 -1061.

AMA Style

Chunxiao Gong, Nathan Bryant, Xianzhi Meng, Samarthya Bhagia, Yunqiao Pu, Donglin Xin, Christian Bender Koch, Claus Felby, Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen, Arthur Ragauskas, Sune Tjalfe Thomsen. Double bonus: surfactant-assisted biomass pelleting benefits both the pelleting process and subsequent enzymatic saccharification of the pretreated pellets. Green Chemistry. 2021; 23 (2):1050-1061.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chunxiao Gong; Nathan Bryant; Xianzhi Meng; Samarthya Bhagia; Yunqiao Pu; Donglin Xin; Christian Bender Koch; Claus Felby; Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen; Arthur Ragauskas; Sune Tjalfe Thomsen. 2021. "Double bonus: surfactant-assisted biomass pelleting benefits both the pelleting process and subsequent enzymatic saccharification of the pretreated pellets." Green Chemistry 23, no. 2: 1050-1061.

Journal article
Published: 12 January 2021 in Bioresource Technology
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Herein, we established a novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) using lignin-derived guaiacol as hydrogen bond donor (HBD). The sole ChCl/guaiacol system was found to be inefficient for the fractionation of wheat straw (WS), while the incorporation of trace AlCl3 significantly facilitated the degradation of hemicellulose and lignin, resulting in a complete enzymatic digestibility of the pretreated WS. Further, this study revealed that the DES-degraded lignin was readily precipitated during the washing process, and thus hindered the enzymatic hydrolysis of poplar and bamboo (with hydrolysis yield of 42.03% and 71.67%, respectively). Alkali washing offers a possible approach to remove the precipitated lignin, after which a near 100% hydrolysis yield was also obtained for poplar and bamboo.

ACS Style

Chen Huang; Yunni Zhan; Jinyuan Cheng; Jia Wang; Xianzhi Meng; Xuelian Zhou; Guigan Fang; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Facilitating enzymatic hydrolysis with a novel guaiacol-based deep eutectic solvent pretreatment. Bioresource Technology 2021, 326, 124696 .

AMA Style

Chen Huang, Yunni Zhan, Jinyuan Cheng, Jia Wang, Xianzhi Meng, Xuelian Zhou, Guigan Fang, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Facilitating enzymatic hydrolysis with a novel guaiacol-based deep eutectic solvent pretreatment. Bioresource Technology. 2021; 326 ():124696.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chen Huang; Yunni Zhan; Jinyuan Cheng; Jia Wang; Xianzhi Meng; Xuelian Zhou; Guigan Fang; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Facilitating enzymatic hydrolysis with a novel guaiacol-based deep eutectic solvent pretreatment." Bioresource Technology 326, no. : 124696.

Paper
Published: 04 January 2021 in Sustainable Energy & Fuels
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The supercritical water liquefaction of PE/PP mixtures yields around 86.84–90.70% oil without catalyst or H2.

ACS Style

Peitao Zhao; Zhilong Yuan; Jing Zhang; Xueping Song; Cuiping Wang; Qingjie Guo; Arthur J. Ragauskas. Supercritical water co-liquefaction of LLDPE and PP into oil: properties and synergy. Sustainable Energy & Fuels 2021, 5, 575 -583.

AMA Style

Peitao Zhao, Zhilong Yuan, Jing Zhang, Xueping Song, Cuiping Wang, Qingjie Guo, Arthur J. Ragauskas. Supercritical water co-liquefaction of LLDPE and PP into oil: properties and synergy. Sustainable Energy & Fuels. 2021; 5 (2):575-583.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Peitao Zhao; Zhilong Yuan; Jing Zhang; Xueping Song; Cuiping Wang; Qingjie Guo; Arthur J. Ragauskas. 2021. "Supercritical water co-liquefaction of LLDPE and PP into oil: properties and synergy." Sustainable Energy & Fuels 5, no. 2: 575-583.

Review
Published: 14 December 2020 in Chemical Reviews
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are an emerging class of mixtures characterized by significant depressions in melting points compared to those of the neat constituent components. These materials are promising for applications as inexpensive “designer” solvents exhibiting a host of tunable physicochemical properties. A detailed review of the current literature reveals the lack of predictive understanding of the microscopic mechanisms that govern the structure–property relationships in this class of solvents. Complex hydrogen bonding is postulated as the root cause of their melting point depressions and physicochemical properties; to understand these hydrogen bonded networks, it is imperative to study these systems as dynamic entities using both simulations and experiments. This review emphasizes recent research efforts in order to elucidate the next steps needed to develop a fundamental framework needed for a deeper understanding of DESs. It covers recent developments in DES research, frames outstanding scientific questions, and identifies promising research thrusts aligned with the advancement of the field toward predictive models and fundamental understanding of these solvents.

ACS Style

Benworth B. Hansen; Stephanie Spittle; Brian Chen; Derrick Poe; Yong Zhang; Jeffrey M. Klein; Alexandre Horton; Laxmi Adhikari; Tamar Zelovich; Brian W. Doherty; Burcu Gurkan; Edward J. Maginn; Arthur Ragauskas; Mark Dadmun; Thomas A. Zawodzinski; Gary A. Baker; Mark E. Tuckerman; Robert F. Savinell; Joshua R. Sangoro. Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Review of Fundamentals and Applications. Chemical Reviews 2020, 121, 1232 -1285.

AMA Style

Benworth B. Hansen, Stephanie Spittle, Brian Chen, Derrick Poe, Yong Zhang, Jeffrey M. Klein, Alexandre Horton, Laxmi Adhikari, Tamar Zelovich, Brian W. Doherty, Burcu Gurkan, Edward J. Maginn, Arthur Ragauskas, Mark Dadmun, Thomas A. Zawodzinski, Gary A. Baker, Mark E. Tuckerman, Robert F. Savinell, Joshua R. Sangoro. Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Review of Fundamentals and Applications. Chemical Reviews. 2020; 121 (3):1232-1285.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Benworth B. Hansen; Stephanie Spittle; Brian Chen; Derrick Poe; Yong Zhang; Jeffrey M. Klein; Alexandre Horton; Laxmi Adhikari; Tamar Zelovich; Brian W. Doherty; Burcu Gurkan; Edward J. Maginn; Arthur Ragauskas; Mark Dadmun; Thomas A. Zawodzinski; Gary A. Baker; Mark E. Tuckerman; Robert F. Savinell; Joshua R. Sangoro. 2020. "Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Review of Fundamentals and Applications." Chemical Reviews 121, no. 3: 1232-1285.

Journal article
Published: 25 November 2020 in Industrial Crops and Products
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Scouring and bleaching are essential steps in flax yarn production; however, in many cases, these treatments have relatively low selectivity on non-cellulosic polysaccharides (NCPs) and lignin. Herein, the specific chemical properties of flax fibers through a variety of scouring and/or bleaching procedures are reviewed to understand their correlations with the mechanical and morphological characteristics. The hydrolysis behaviors of hemicellulose and lignin are different from those of cellulose during chlorine-alkali-oxygen (Cl-AO), enzyme-alkali-oxygen (EAO), and alkali-oxygen (AO) treatments, while the structural hemicellulose polysaccharides fractions were not affected by acid pretreatment followed by alkali scouring (AA) treatment. It was found that the unbleached AA treatment improved scouring efficiency to the greatest extent by decreasing 73.3 % of hemicellulose content and 59.8 % of lignin content compared to the untreated flax fibers and obtained the highest tensile strength (6.58 cN/dtex) and elongation (3.73 %). Delignification was more crucial on fiber tenacity and fineness than hemicellulose removal (R2 = 0.71, 0.79 vs R2 = 0.46, 0.61). Within the hemicellulose fractions, a corresponding beneficial relationship between the xylan (XYL) composition and flax fiber properties is presented. The correlation of GM and GGM contents in hemicellulose with flax fiber length was significant with R2 value 0.97 and 0.99, respectively. This study provides insight into the hydrolysis behavior of hemicellulose and a basis for developing scouring and/or bleaching models that can predict fiber properties.

ACS Style

Jinhua Ding; Luna Liang; Xianzhi Meng; Fei Yang; Yunqiao Pu; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Chang Geun Yoo; Chongwen Yu. The physiochemical alteration of flax fibers structuring components after different scouring and bleaching treatments. Industrial Crops and Products 2020, 160, 113112 .

AMA Style

Jinhua Ding, Luna Liang, Xianzhi Meng, Fei Yang, Yunqiao Pu, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Chang Geun Yoo, Chongwen Yu. The physiochemical alteration of flax fibers structuring components after different scouring and bleaching treatments. Industrial Crops and Products. 2020; 160 ():113112.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jinhua Ding; Luna Liang; Xianzhi Meng; Fei Yang; Yunqiao Pu; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Chang Geun Yoo; Chongwen Yu. 2020. "The physiochemical alteration of flax fibers structuring components after different scouring and bleaching treatments." Industrial Crops and Products 160, no. : 113112.

Paper
Published: 28 October 2020 in Green Chemistry
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Switchgrass, thermochemically pretreated switchgrass, and corresponding biologically digested residues were characterized to understand the process of lignocelluose deconstruction.

ACS Style

Ninad Kothari; Samarthya Bhagia; Yunqiao Pu; Chang Geun Yoo; Mi Li; Sivasankari Venketachalam; Sivakumar Pattathil; Rajeev Kumar; Charles M. Cai; Michael G. Hahn; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Charles E. Wyman. The effect of switchgrass plant cell wall properties on its deconstruction by thermochemical pretreatments coupled with fungal enzymatic hydrolysis or Clostridium thermocellum consolidated bioprocessing. Green Chemistry 2020, 22, 7924 -7945.

AMA Style

Ninad Kothari, Samarthya Bhagia, Yunqiao Pu, Chang Geun Yoo, Mi Li, Sivasankari Venketachalam, Sivakumar Pattathil, Rajeev Kumar, Charles M. Cai, Michael G. Hahn, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Charles E. Wyman. The effect of switchgrass plant cell wall properties on its deconstruction by thermochemical pretreatments coupled with fungal enzymatic hydrolysis or Clostridium thermocellum consolidated bioprocessing. Green Chemistry. 2020; 22 (22):7924-7945.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ninad Kothari; Samarthya Bhagia; Yunqiao Pu; Chang Geun Yoo; Mi Li; Sivasankari Venketachalam; Sivakumar Pattathil; Rajeev Kumar; Charles M. Cai; Michael G. Hahn; Arthur J. Ragauskas; Charles E. Wyman. 2020. "The effect of switchgrass plant cell wall properties on its deconstruction by thermochemical pretreatments coupled with fungal enzymatic hydrolysis or Clostridium thermocellum consolidated bioprocessing." Green Chemistry 22, no. 22: 7924-7945.