The Theory of Supramolecular Motion, the Primary Structure of Lignin and its Application to Adhesives

Lignin is a phenolic polymer, comprising up to a third of the dry mass of plants with woody stems, most notably of trees. Up to now there has existed an understanding that unlike other biopolymers, lignin does not possess a primary structure. This lack of reasonable theoretical framework has hindered the use of lignin in materials applications. Here we propose a theory of helical supramolecular motion and the subsequent toroidal helical primary structure of mobile monolignols and the double-helical nanotubular primary structure of lignin. Using this theoretical framework, we propose a theory of the self-assembly of colloidal lignin particles into a truncated octahedron of stacked nanotubules and apply this framework to design adhesives that cure at room temperature with exceptional strength. The theory not only explains the structure of lignin, but also the supramolecular morphology of gases and liquids. The theory assumes no new physical interactions, just the assumption that molecules are ordered into helical arrays moving in helical paths due to steric constraints. We anticipate that the proposed theory will spark intense discussion on whether it is applicable to lignin in specific or to the motion of all molecules in general. We anticipate these results to radically change the way lignin is used in materials applications and if the theory of the morphology of gases and liquids is confirmed, this will also have much larger implications on all fields related to gases and liquids.