The object of our present work was a comprehensive characterization of the liquefied wood that could be used as a feedstock for the well-defined polymer synthesis. Beside the determination of overall hydroxyl value that was found to be dependent on time, the chemical characterization of liquefied wood samples was carried out by quantitative ~(31)P, ~(13)C NMR analysis and by monitoring the change of molar masses using size-exclusion chromatography. Liquefied wood samples for analysis were prepared using a specific isolation procedure which enabled the separation of high-molecular mass material (lignin-based polymer LBP) from low-molecular mass glycol fraction. The final LBP was produced by predominant condensation reactions between the aromatic lignin subunits as indicated by the decrease in total phenolic hydroxyl group content followed by the incorporation of the glycerol and diethylene glycol moieties. The identification and quantification of the various reactive hydroxyl groups in the LBP opens a possibility of the well-defined polymer synthesis from renewable resources. Moreover, the molecular mass and the hydroxyl group content of liquefaction product could be monitored by the duration of the liquefaction process and by the use of the particular alcohols.
展开▼
