2.3 EPR Insights into Lignin Radical Chemistry
- Liam Mistry
- Postdoc,
- Chalmers
- Co-author(s):
- Supervisor (PhD-students/postdocs): Anette Larsson
- Lignin, the most abundant aromatic biopolymer in nature, plays a pivotal role in both the structural integrity of plant cell walls and as a renewable feedstock for sustainable materials. Yet, its complex and heterogeneous chemistry continues to challenge our ability to extract, modify, and valorize it effectively. In this talk, I will present how electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy provides a unique window into lignin’s radical chemistry—probing radical formation during delignification, photoirradiation, and chemical modification, as well as offering insight into the influence of solvents and processing conditions. Through examples ranging from ionic liquid–based delignification to model monolignol systems, I will illustrate how EPR can be applied to quantify radical concentrations, assign radical structures, and shed light on mechanistic pathways central to lignin reactivity.
- Time of presentation: 9.40