Currently, several national projects are conducted as an activity along the thermochemical horizon towards functionalized aromatics from lignin and lignin-rich biomass sources in the framework of the BIORIZON shared research center in the south of the Netherlands [1]. Regarding the pyrolytic valorization of lignin-rich biomass towards aromatic chemicals for various applications, it is thought that the collection of pyrolysis vapors in separate fractions [2] offers interesting opportunities for valorization, e.g. towards (additives for) bitumen, resins, rubber and specific marine biofuels. For these high market volume – medium market value products, earlier work has revealed that the application of lignin as such (so without derivatization / modification) was not successful because of various incompatibilities. Consequently, it was deduced that specific depolymerized fractions from lignin-rich residues would possibly be usable because of lower molecular weight and/or higher reactivity and/or better miscibility with their petrochemical counterparts.
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