The group's activities mainly include research and development activities for the development of new functional materials, which focus on lignin-based feedstock. One direction is the use of lignin as a substitute for the phenolic component in aerogels based on resorcinol-formaldehyde backbone. Depending on the biomass source and the lignin extraction methodology, the lignin G/S/H contents and their ratios are different. In this topic, the lignin of hardwood and softwood as well as lignin of herbaceous origin (e.g. straw) are examined. The large specific surface area and pore size of aerogels define the further use of this material, and different types of lignins offer a playing field for the development of very different types of materials. The second topic focuses on lignin as a raw material that can be used as a starting material for the synthesis of substances with antimicrobial, surface-active and catalytic properties.
Introduction
Selected publications
Mohan, Mahendra Kothotti; Silenko, Oleg; Krasnou, Illia; Volobueva, Olga; Kulp, Maria; Ošeka, Maksim; Lukk, Tit; Karpichev,
Evgeny. (2024). Chloromethylation of Lignin as a Route to Functional Material with Catalytic Properties in Cross-Coupling and Click Reactions. ChemSusChem #e202301588. DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301588.
Christmas, Daughter-in-law; Jarvik, Oliver; Lees, Heidi; Tilt, Cave; Koel, Mihkel; Lock, Tit. Preparation and characterization of lignin-derived carbon aerogels. (2024) Frontiers in Chemistry, 11 #1326454, DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1326454.
Christmas, P.; Ho, TT; Kallavus, U.; Konist, A.; Leiman, K.; Salm, O.-S.; Kulp, M.; Koel, M.; Lukk, T.; (2022). Characterization of Organosolv Lignins and Their Application in the Preparation of Aerogels. Materials, 15 (8), #2861. DOI: 10.3390/ma15082861.
Christmas, P.; Vaher, M.; Kuhtinskaja, M. (2021). Carbon airgel-based solid-phase microextraction coating for the analysis of organophosphorus pesticides. Analytical Methods, 13, 69−76. DOI: 10.1039/D0AY02002H.
Erkhova, LV; Presniakov, IA; Afanasov, MI; Lemenovskiy, DA; Yu, H.; Wang, L.; Danilson, M.; Koel, M. (2020). Ferrocene Introduced into 5-Methylresorcinol-Based Organic Aerogels. Polymers, 12 (7), #1582. DOI: 10.3390/polym12071582.
Bolobaev, J.; Birch, M.; Greek, K.; Kulp, M.; Koel, M.; Goi, A. (2019). Metal-doped organic aerogels for photocatalytic degradation of trimethoprim. Chemical Engineering Journal, 357, 120−128. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2018.09.127.
Christmas, P.; Vaher, M.; Kuhtinskaja, M. (2018). Evaluation of carbon airgel-based solid-phase extraction sorbent for the analysis of sulfur mustard degradation products in environmental water samples. Chemosphere, 198, 460−468. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.01.157.
