Lignin-based surfactants
AssigneeEmpire Technology Development LLC
InventorGeorgius Abidal Adam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for converting waste streams from the wood pulping industry to high-value surfactants are described. For example, isolated lignin and lignosulfonate or waste streams containing lignin and lignosulfonate can be directly converted to surfactants, or they can be first converted to methylol derivatives and treated with further reagents to produce surfactants.
Claims8
A method of preparing a surfactant, the method comprising contacting a lignin-based material containing one or more methylol groups with an amino acid in a ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:1.3 based on moles of the one or more methylol groups in the lignin-based material to moles of the amino acid in presence of a solvent selected from triethylamine, or a mixture of triethylamine with n-butanol, to produce the surfactant.
A method of preparing a Gemini surfactant, the method comprising contacting a lignin-based material containing one or more methylol groups with an amino acid in a ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:1.3 based on moles of the one or more methylol groups in the lignin-based material to moles of the amino acid in presence of a solvent selected from triethylamine or a mixture of triethylamine with n-butanol, to produce the Gemini surfactant, wherein number of reacted methylol groups with the amino acid is two or more per lignin molecule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.