Highly efficient conversion of lignin into value-added chemicals and materials is trapped in the inevitable cleavage of β-O-4 linkages and formation of highly condensed structures with deep colors during lignin isolation. Here, we develop a trifunctional choline chloride/glyoxylic acid (ChCl/GA) binary deep eutectic solvent with a π-π conjugate structure and moderate acidity for the fast isolation of light-colored lignin with near proto-structures (exceeding 88% of delignification ratio for 1 hour). The synergetic interaction of GA and ChCl substantially reduced Gibbs free energy of acetal reaction and thoroughly captured reactive intermediates, precisely activating the following key functions: stabilizing β-O-4 linkages, inhibiting condensation reaction, and shielding –OH groups. These enabled efficient isolation of uncondensed, abundant β-O-4 linkage (45.80/100 C9; 79% retention) and light-colored lignin. A near-theoretical yield of aromatic monomers upon depolymerization and high performances as adhesives for lignocellulosic bioplastics were achieved. This work unleashes the valorization potential of lignin by a relatively green and fast strategy for sustainable biorefineries.

This study presents the chemical compositional analysis of cow manure in terms of holocellulose (35.97%), lignin (19.02%), and ash (17.47%). Activated carbons (of specific surface area 114 to 893 m(2)/g, iodine value 219 to 718 mg/g, methylene blue adsorption value 40.5 to 501 mg/g, and ash 16.17% to 22.3%) were prepared from cow manure by using various activator compounds such as potassium carbonate. The results showed that the activation effect of potassium carbonate and zinc chloride was better under the given conditions. The main ash found in the activated carbons was silica, which was reduced to about 3% by washing with sodium hydroxide solution. The prepared activated carbons were used to treat the wastewater from the cow farm and for the pollutant removal that effectively met the discharge standard requirements. These results indicated that the production of activated carbons from cow manure is a promising method for the cleaner production in intensive dairy farms.

Carbon nanomaterials have attracted much attention in the field of science and technology for their excellent properties; however, developing a simple, environmentally friendly, and versatile synthesis strategy for the preparation of carbon nanomaterials with novel structures remains a great challenge. Herein, a surfactant @ salt (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide DTAB @ NaCl) self‐assembly strategy for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials with novel structures, i.e., carbon nanoframes is reported. The synthesis differs from the traditional template method in that it is characterized by the introduction of surfactants for separation and protection, and the salt can be recycled. In addition, the carbon frame size in this system can be adjusted on demand by simply adjusting the concentration of surfactant, thus realizing that the carbon nanoframe size is adjustable in the range of 232.58–322.51 nm. Impressively, the carbon nanoframe has purple, blue, and green PL emission behavior. It is anticipated that this research will provide new insights into the development of novel carbon nanomaterials.

Hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite with short-range ordered mesoporosity and hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite nanorods were obtained via a direct hydrothermal synthesis by the cooperative structure direction of dimethyloctadecyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]- ammonium chloride (TPOAC) and tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH). Dimethyloctadecyl[3-(dimethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride (DPOAC) and octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (OTAC) were also employed as structure directing agents (SDA) to further explore the role of methoxysilyl groups in organosilanes during the formation of hierarchical structure. The prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), N₂ adsorption–desorption, FT-IR, UV-vis and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The characterization results showed that the use of TPOAC and DPOAC would generate short-range ordered mesopores and irregular mesopores, respectively. Hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite nanorods with worm-like intracrystalline mesopores could be obtained by adjusting the amount of silicon source. The lack of methoxysilyl groups in OTAC however could lead to phase separation problems. Furthermore, the hierarchical Fe-ZSM-5 zeolite with short-range ordered mesoporosity showed enhanced catalytic activity and stability for the hydroxylation of phenol at room temperature.