MgFe2O4 Nanoparticle/Peracetic Acid Hybrids for Catalytic Oxidative Depolymerization of Lignin

Lignin is a promising feedstock for renewable fuels and chemicals due to its aromatic skeleton and natural abundance. Lignin can be converted to diverse aromatic monomers as well as dicarboxylic acids depending on the applied conversion technologies. Despite its great potential, its native and processing-induced heterogeneity and complexity limit the conversion efficiency and product selectivity. In this study, magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4) nanoparticle–peracetic acid (PAA) has been investigated as an efficient catalyst–oxidant incorporation for catalytic oxidative depolymerization of lignin under mild conditions. Typically, the increase in processing severity can enhance the lignin conversion while it results in the further decomposition of aromatic compounds to dicarboxylic acids. However, in this study, the incorporation of MgFe2O4 nanoparticles and PAA not only enhanced the total product yield but also improved the selectivity of aromatic monomers. The oxidative depolymerization system using the catalyst–oxidant combination resulted in 46 wt % of total oil product with a 61% selectivity of aromatic monomers under mild temperature (90 °C). In addition, this combination catalyst showed relatively good cycling stability based on the total product yield after recycling five times via magnetic separation. Overall, MgFe2O4 nanoparticles play an important role as a co-catalyst with a PAA oxidant in the oxidative conversion of lignin with an enhanced conversion efficiency and recyclability, and it will facilitate the valorization of lignin in future bio-based fuels and chemicals.