7.1 Lignin: Old, Still a Promising Filler
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is annually getting worse. Consequently, how to deaccelerate carbon emission as
possible, i.e., decarbonization idea is most recently gaining global support [26–29],
and reuse or effective utilization of natural resources containing carbon is now one
of the most crucial concerns for our future. Industrial reuse of lignin is surely among
the concerns, and we have surveyed the lignin research in rubber composite arena, in
many countries including Japan, on internet using three keywords, rubber, lignin, and
composite, between 1990 and July 20 of 2019 [30]. The results are shown in Fig. 7.2,
which suggests an increasing highlight on lignin/rubber composites up to now. In
particular, the number of patent application is much increasing recently. Namely,
developmental research for various applications is progressively conducted all over
the world.
Through these studies, however, it has become evident that the fundamental information of lignin, especially its structures, has been lacking, or at least not enough to
conduct a systematic application research of lignin [19, 20, 31]. Under the present
situation, the main foci may be mentioned as;
(a) Isolation of lignin from the plants or from the industrial wastes,
(b) Chemical decomposition of lignin to convert it to a useful compound,
(c) Utilization of polymeric lignin with some modifications (except decomposition).
Fig. 7.2 Recent lignin researches surveyed on internet using three keywords (rubber, lignin, and
composite) between 1990 and July 20 of 2019
125
is annually getting worse. Consequently, how to deaccelerate carbon emission as
possible, i.e., decarbonization idea is most recently gaining global support [26–29],
and reuse or effective utilization of natural resources containing carbon is now one
of the most crucial concerns for our future. Industrial reuse of lignin is surely among
the concerns, and we have surveyed the lignin research in rubber composite arena, in
many countries including Japan, on internet using three keywords, rubber, lignin, and
composite, between 1990 and July 20 of 2019 [30]. The results are shown in Fig. 7.2,
which suggests an increasing highlight on lignin/rubber composites up to now. In
particular, the number of patent application is much increasing recently. Namely,
developmental research for various applications is progressively conducted all over
the world.
Through these studies, however, it has become evident that the fundamental information of lignin, especially its structures, has been lacking, or at least not enough to
conduct a systematic application research of lignin [19, 20, 31]. Under the present
situation, the main foci may be mentioned as;
(a) Isolation of lignin from the plants or from the industrial wastes,
(b) Chemical decomposition of lignin to convert it to a useful compound,
(c) Utilization of polymeric lignin with some modifications (except decomposition).
Fig. 7.2 Recent lignin researches surveyed on internet using three keywords (rubber, lignin, and
composite) between 1990 and July 20 of 2019