RII Track-2 FEC: Assembling Successful Structures: Lignin Beads for Sustainability of Food, Energy, and Water Systems

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Non-technical descriptionThis Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaboration (RII Track-2 FEC) award is a collaboration among three institutions in LA and KY -- Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Louisiana State University A&M College, and the University of Kentucky. The research is focused on lignin chemistry - lignin is a class of complex organic polymers found in plants, particularly wood. The project will prepare synthetic lignin and deconstruct synthetic and native lignin into value-added products and functional materials. This fundamental research will provide the foundation for future technologies that would enable sustainable food, energy, and water systems. This multidisciplinary project supports sixteen faculty at early, middle, and advanced career levels, thirty graduate and 16 undergraduate students at all three participating institutions. Participants will develop curricular modules for rural high schools on sustainability science topics and implement through the involvement of vocational agriculture teachers and 4-H curricula. Project activities include public outreach to promote awareness of the connection between agriculture and science. Technical descriptionThe project seeks to synthesize model lignin compounds via biomimetic polymerization, deconstruct both the synthetic and native lignin by thermo or biochemical breakdown, and study the interfacial chemistry of lignin products using advanced experimental techniques and molecular simulations. Research tasks include: (1) Development of solid-phase lignin synthesis chemistry to build synthetic models composed of specific monolignol sequences; (2) Deconstruction of model lignin oligomers in ionic liquids with the end goal of developing a novel biocatalysis route for effective fractionation and deconstruction of natural lignin in ionic liquid medium; (3) Deconstruction of model lignin using ultrafast cooling of lignin products obtained by flash pyrolysis and low temperature matrix isolation Electron Paramagnetic Resonance techniques; and (4) Manipulation of the interfacial surface properties using thin film technology, nanoparticles, and molecular simulation to gain insight into interactions, properties, and applications of lignin derivatives at advanced materials interfaces. This interdisciplinary project will provide graduate student training, and undergraduate research experience and leverage and expand ongoing LA, KY EPSCoR initiatives in technology transfer to industry. The research and educational collaborations will lead to long-lasting impacts in both LA and KY. The project's workforce development plan includes modular curriculum development for rural high school students implemented through vocational agriculture teachers and 4-H curricula.