# US 2021/0340420 A1 · Lignin Composition, Methods of Making and Using the Composition for Adsorption onto Petrochemical Oil and Oil Removal

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- Number: US 2021/0340420 A1
- Document ID: US20210340420A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/282,048
- Filed: 2019-10-03
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-04
- Assignees: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
- Inventors: Bhuvnesh Bharti; Jin Gyun Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340420A1

## CPC

- C09K 3/32: for absorbing liquids to remove pollution, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat
- B01D 17/0202: {by ab- or adsorption}
- B01J 20/24: Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
- C02F 1/286: {using natural organic sorbents or derivatives thereof}
- C02F 1/681: {by addition of solid materials for removing an oily layer on water}
- C08L 97/005: {Lignin}
- B01J 2220/4837: Lignin
- C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil
- C02F 2305/04: Surfactants, used as part of a formulation or alone
- C02F 2305/08: Nanoparticles or nanotubes
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)

## Abstract

The present invention relates in part to a lignin composition and a method of fabricating a lignin composition. The invention also relates in part to a method of using a lignin composition to adsorb onto a petrochemical oil comprising the steps of providing a solution of lignin in an alcohol, providing an oil on a liquid surface, contacting the oil with the solution of lignin in an alcohol, adsorbing the lignin to the oil, and removing the adsorbed oil from the surface of the liquid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of adsorbing lignin onto a petrochemical oil, the method comprising:
providing a solution of lignin in an alcohol;
providing an oil on a liquid surface;
contacting the oil with the solution of lignin in an alcohol;
adsorbing the lignin onto the oil; and
removing the adsorbed oil from the liquid surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the lignin is a lignin nanoparticle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the lignin nanoparticle has an average diameter between 35 nm and 260 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the oil with a solution of lignin in an alcohol further comprises contacting the oil with an additional additive selected from the group consisting of: bioremediation agents, dispersants, surface collecting agents, and surface washing agents.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the oil with a solution of lignin in an alcohol further comprises the step of decreasing the interfacial tension between the liquid surface and air.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of: freshwater, salt water, distilled water, deionized water, and brackish water.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of: n-butanol, sec-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 3-pentanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-2-butanol, 2,2-dimethyl-1-propanol, 1-hexanol, 2-hexanol, 3-hexanol, 2-methylpentan-1-ol, 3-methylpentan-1-ol, 4-methylpentan-1-ol, 2-methylpentan-2-ol, 3-methylpentan-2-ol, 4-methylpentan-2-ol, 2-methylpentan-3-ol, 3-methylpentan-3-ol, 2,2-dimethylbutan-1-ol, 2,3-dimethylbutan-1-ol, 3,3-dimethylbutan-1-ol, 2,3-dimethylbutan-2-ol, 3,3-dimethylbutan-2-ol, 2-ethylbutan-1-ol, 1-octanol, 2-octanol, 2-ethylhexanol, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the petrochemical oil is selected from the group consisting of: fuel oil, crude oil, kerosene, gasoline, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of lignin in an alcohol is between 0.2 mg/ml and 0.3 mg/ml.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adsorbing the lignin onto the oil takes between 0 minutes and 2 hours.