Photodecomposition of Kraft Lignin Catalyzed by Titanium Dioxide

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Abstract
The photocatalytic reaction of kraft lignin at titanium dioxide photocatalyst was investigated. Kraft lignin was completely decomposed into carbon dioxide and water through dehydrodimers of phenol derivatives constituting kraft lignin, methanol and organic acids such as oxalic and formic acids. Aromatic compounds such as vanillin could not be recovered due to their tendency to dehydrodimerization and the strong oxidizing power of the photo-generated holes by the action of which the dehydrodimers were completely decomposed into carbon dioxide and water. The production of methane, ethane, and ethylene was much smaller than that in the decomposition with hydroxyl radicals in homogeneous solution.