Successive and quantitative fractionation and extensive structural characterization of lignin from wheat straw

A unique process for the fractionation of lignin from wheat straw is proposed: Ball milling for 8. h, followed by a direct and an acidolysis-assisted dioxane-water extraction. Four distinctly different lignin structures were thus obtained: (1) one free non-core lignin, which is a cellulose-lignin with lowest molar mass and highest contents of p-hydroxycinnamic acids, condensed phenolic hydroxyl groups and tricin moieties, and with a detectable amount of cinnamyl alcohols; (2) two core xylan-lignins differing in their degree of branching as indicated by their xylose/arabinose ratios of >4 and ~2, respectively; (3) one core cellulose-lignin which is the residual fraction resistant to all extractions. Based on the mass balance of Klason lignin the yields of these four fractions are 13.8%, 18.1%, 37.5% and 12.5%, respectively, thus accounting for 82% of the total KL in wheat straw. Therefore, the isolated lignin fractions could be considered as highly representative allowing a good insight into the different features of wheat straw lignin. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.