The Lignin Challenge: Exploring Innovative Applications

Dear Colleagues,

The emerging new technologies in second generation biorefineries has led to an exponential increase of lignin supply as by-product. This situation, and the urgency in traditional pulp and paper mills to diversify their market opportunities, encourages transforming lignin into more diverse and valuable products. The amazing structure of lignin, a highly aromatic and functionalized 3D macromolecule, provides protection against insects and pathogens, waterproofing, toughness, and other key properties to the native vegetal wall in biomass. Moreover, recent advances in biomass pre-treatment processes has facilitated high purity lignin production, which could be directed to new uses for this biopolymer: Engineered plastics and thermoplastic elastomers, polymeric foams, active molecules, and commodity chemicals. This new generation of products invites a move away from the primitive uses of lignin (energy production, dispersant, painting additive) to move towards an innovative future based on renewable materials, and opens a niche market as a thrilling challenge for the scientific community.
We have the pleasure of inviting research scientists to submit original research, mini and full reviews for this Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, entitled “The Lignin Challenge: Exploring Innovative Applications”, dedicated to the lignin macromolecule, covering new advances in elucidation of its chemical structure, the discovery of new properties, or research on innovative applications.

Dr. Araceli García
Dr. Luis Serrano
Prof. Dr. Vladimír Křen
Guest Editors

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