Electrochemical lignin extraction for sustainable biomass conversion

This technology is an integrated electrochemical platform that enables low chemical lignin extraction via in situ hydrogen peroxide generation and pH control, producing high-quality feedstocks for polymers, carbon materials, and fuels.

Unmet Need: Sustainable and scalable extraction of useful chemicals from biomass

Current methods for biomass processing, such as kraft and sulfite pulping, require strong alkaline or acidic reagents due to the high degree of crosslinking. The harsh production process decreases the resultant yield of carbon products, resulting in large costs and low efficiencies. Biomass sources such as coconut shells, can be sources of lignocellulose but are currently treated as waste. The burning and processing of these sources of lignocellulose result in large amounts of CO2 emissions. Thus, there is a need to safely process agricultural waste and extract useful, specifically lignocellulose-derived products.

The Technology: Electrochemical biomass conversion to lignin and graphic carbon

This technology is an integrated electrochemical process that recovers lignin and graphitic carbon from lignocellulose biomass. Lignin is extracted via in situ hydrogen peroxide generation through a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction, followed by electrochemically driven pH swing or reacted with KOH to form porous graphitic carbon. The use of milder reaction conditions reduces tar formation and improves product yield. The resulting products can be further converted into synthetic gas, polymers, or other products.

Applications:

• Lignin extraction for chemical and polymer feedstocks
• Rare earth element extraction
• Synthetic gas production for fuels and chemicals
• Adhesives and phenolic resin manufacturing
• Carbon fiber production for aeronautics
• Wastewater treatment
• Aromatic compound production
• Biodegradable polymer production
• Electrode materials for fuel cells

Advantages:

• Preserves lignin structure integrity and functionality
• Operates under mild reaction conditions
• Electrifiable
• Minimizes chemical inputs
• Scalable
• Reduced chemical tar production

Lead Inventor:

Greeshma Gadikota, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Related Publications:

• Lu P, Prasad D, Gao X, Gadikota G. “Electrochemically Induced Chemo-Morphological Changes in Magnesium Silicate on Dissolution” Energy Fuels. 2025 Jun 28; 39(27) 13006-13013.

• Pusarapu V, Narayana Sarma R, Ochonma P, Gadikota G. “Sustainable co-production of porous graphitic carbon and synthesis gas from biomass resources.” npj Mater. Sustain. 2024 Jul 02; 2(16).

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU26256

• IR Proxy121

• Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu