Dual-Functional Lignin via Amination and Oxypropylation for High-Strength Hydrogels with Enhanced Network Integrity; [아민화 및 옥시프로필화를 통한 이중 기능화 리그닌 기반 고강도 하이드로겔의 네트워크 안정성 향상]

초록

In this study, lignin was sequentially modified via amination and oxypropylation to produce a dual-functional lignin derivative, and high-strength hydrogels were fabricated using the resulting lignin as a building block. It confirmed the introduction of amine groups and oxypropyl side chains, while molecular-weight analysis showed a pronounced increase in oxypropylated lignin (OL) compared with kraft lignin (KL), indicating successful structural expansion. The lignin-based hydrogels exhibited porous microstructures, and effective network formation via a ring-opening crosslinking reaction was verified. Notably, hydrogels prepared with dual-functional lignin displayed enhanced network integrity and significantly improved mechanical strength and durability relative to the reference system. These improvements were attributed to the synergistic effects of amine-derived reactive/interactive sites serving as network junctions and flexible oxypropyl side chains promoting compatibility, chain rearrangement, and energy dissipation. Overall, this work presents a practical sequential functionalization strategy to convert lignin into a hydrogel-active building block for sustainable, mechanically robust polymer networks. © 2026 Korean Technical Assoc. of the Pulp and Paper Industry

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