Scientists break lignin’s strongest bonds to turn wood waste into valuable fuel

Researchers developed an electrochemical Pd/C system that generates surface-bound hydrogen to cleave lignin bonds and hydrogenate fragments.

Model diaryl ether compounds reached 100% conversion in 90 minutes at 70°C and 50 mA/cm², and some compounds converted at 30°C.

Adding 30 wt% isopropanol improved performance and the combined Pd/PdO catalyst outperformed separate Pd or PdO.

Tests on birch wood produced 13.6% yield in one hour and 19.6% in four hours of lignin-derived phenolic monomers.

The study was published in Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy.