Valorisation of organosolv lignin in dynamic boronate ester gels by ethanol/water tandem batch depolymerization and exploiting glycerol carbonate functionalization

Key Points

• Dynamic boronate ester gels enhance the functionality of organosolv lignin, making it versatile for various applications.
• The ethanol/water tandem batch method effectively depolymerizes lignin, promoting its use in gel formulations.
• Glycerol carbonate functionalization is proposed to improve the properties of the resulting gels, pointing towards sustainable materials.
• These findings may enable new uses for lignin, a byproduct of biomass, in creating eco-friendly materials.