New approach in the application of lignin for the synthesis of hybrid materials

In this study, a novel method for the synthesis of hybrid, porous microspheres, including divinylbenzene (DVB), triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) and methacrylated lignin (L-Met), is presented. The methacrylic derivatives of kraft lignin were obtained by reaction with methacryloyl chloride according to a new experimental protocol. The course of the modification of lignin was confirmed by attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The emulsion-suspension polymerization method was employed to obtain copolymers of DVD, TEVS and L-Met in spherical forms. The porous structures and morphologies of the obtained lignin-containing functionalized microspheres were investigated by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption data and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microspheres are demonstrated to be mesoporous materials with specific surface areas in the range of 430-520 m(2)/g. The effects of the lignin component on the porous structure, shape, swelling and thermal properties of the microspheres were evaluated.