Using guaiacol as a capping agent in the hydrothermal depolymerisation of kraft lignin

The depolymerisation of softwood kraft lignin was investigated, under hydrothermal conditions at 290°C and 250bar, with guaiacol in the reactor feed to evaluate its impact on the formation of char and on the molecular weights of the products. The effect of residence time was investigated in the time span 1-12min. Lignin is depolymerised during the process and guaiacol is both formed and consumed during the reaction, with clearly noticeable changes as early as in the first minute of reaction. Although the addition of guaiacol in the reactor feed causes a reduction in the weight average molecular weight of the products, the yield of char increases. Longer residence times result in repolymerisation of the reaction products as well as a further increase in the yield of monoaromatic components and char.