Catalytic Valorisation of Lignin: Are We Nearly There Yet?

The potential of lignin as a sustainable, renewable source of fuels and fine chemicals has been recognized for nearly 100 years but it is only in the last decade that research has accelerated this potential towards the goal of economically viable catalytic processes. This keynote presentation will review the recent developments in this field at Queen’s University and elsewhere, with particular focus on the selective depolymerization of lignin using heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenoylsis. The synthesis of lignin models and their utility in achieving a better understanding of lignin chemistry will also be discussed, as will the role of mathematical modelling in process design and optimization. Many of the remaining challenges for lignin valorization are in the translation of the significant technical advances of recent years into economically viable and environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes