What is the significance of Klason lignin in the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass?

Klason lignin is a type of lignin obtained by acid treatment of lignocellulosic biomass, which removes the linkages with holocellulose, leaving lignin as a solid residue. It is used as a model compound to study the pyrolysis behavior of lignin in biomass, which is crucial for the development and optimization of pyrolysis technology to produce biofuels and value-added chemicals.

Klason lignin serves as a reliable model compound for studying the pyrolysis behavior of lignin in lignocellulosic biomass. Its decomposition characteristics closely mimic those of residual lignin in torrefied woods, making it useful for formulating accurate kinetic models for biomass pyrolysis. The study found that a three-step kinetic model can accurately describe the decomposition of Klason lignin over a wide temperature range (300–973 K), with activation energies and reaction orders that are consistent across different origins (wood and agricultural residues). This model can be extended to other feedstocks and isolation methods, improving the understanding and prediction of lignin decomposition during pyrolysis.