Characterisation of lignin and lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) in prehydrolysed wood chips

Abstract Isolation and analysis of lignin and lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) were performed to understand the better delignification ability of prehydrolysed wood chips. Lignin analysis showed that prehydrolysis led to a slight depolymerisation and an increase in free phenolic group content. The yield measurement and composition analysis of LCCs of mixed softwoods (SWs) and mixed hardwoods (HWs) revealed essential differences. In the case of SW, the amounts of lignin and xylan involved in LCCs were significantly lowered, whereas in the case of HW, less cellulose, glucomannans, and xylans were detectable in the residual LCCs. The molecular mass distributions of glucomannan-lignin and xylan-lignin fractions were not changed significantly.