Lignin to dispersants, adsorbents, flocculants and adhesives: A critical review on industrial applications of lignin

Nowadays, the production of industrial chemicals such as dispersants, adsorbents, flocculants and adhesives, is still dominated by traditional fossil energy sources, whereas the use of which often causes serious pollution and damage to the environment. As an all-natural raw material, lignin is found in abundance in agricultural waste and black liquor from the pulp and paper industry. Recently, much attention has been paid to the development and research of lignin industrial supplies, and meanwhile dispersants and adhesives made from lignin have been widely used in construction and plastics manufacturing industries. Therefore, this paper reviewed the current research process of common lignin industrial products and common laboratory lignin modification methods, and further analyzed the possibilities of modification and research directions based on the lignin structure. Finally, the modifications and applications of lignin in this review are intended to effectively reduce the dependence of toxic and harmful chemicals as well as improving the utilization of lignin as a natural resource.