A new type of modified lignin, lignin-p-Boc, was obtained through reaction with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (Boc₂O) in aqueous media catalyzed by 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). Boc modification occurred regardless of type of lignin, was tunable, and proceeded well in recovering lignin at high purity from sodium lignosulfonate (a common byproduct from pulping industry; lignin content: 60%). Lignin-p-BOC was demonstrated as a potential reactive filler in green plastic and as a potential crosslinker in design of bioresorbable composite polymeric implants. Furthermore, the effect of the modification on breakdown rate of alkali lignin by microbes was investigated, and results showed that the modification substantially decreases the breakdown rate. The tunable Boc modification process was designed via a system thinking, including availability of raw lignin, economical/green modification, potentiality of drop-in-change to current thermoplastic processing, modification impact on microbial degradability/disposed environment at the end of use life; hence the holistic consideration makes this alternative method for upgrade of technical lignins very practical for future industrial application. Via “in-situ” forming “easily breakable covalent bonds” with existing thermopolymers inside, Lignin-p-BOCs are also promising to play an important role as both excellent binders via “random match” and reductants in transforming linear plastic waste into circular plastics.

通过反应与二-得到一种新型改性的木质素的木质素-对- Boc时，叔丁基酯（BOC ₂O) 在由 4-二甲氨基吡啶 (DMAP) 催化的水性介质中。无论木质素类型如何，Boc 改性都会发生，并且是可调的，并且在从木质素磺酸钠（制浆工业的常见副产品；木质素含量：60%）中以高纯度回收木质素方面进展顺利。木质素-p-BOC 被证明是绿色塑料中潜在的反应性填料和生物可吸收复合聚合物植入物设计中的潜在交联剂。此外，研究了改性对微生物对碱木质素分解率的影响，结果表明改性显着降低了分解率。可调 Boc 改性过程是通过系统思维设计的，包括原始木质素的可用性、经济/绿色改性、对当前热塑性加工进行直接更改的潜力、在使用寿命结束时修改对微生物降解性/处置环境的影响；因此，整体考虑使这种用于技术木质素升级的替代方法对于未来的工业应用非常实用。通过 ”与内部现有的热聚合物原位“形成“易断裂的共价键”，木质素-p-BOCs 也有望通过“随机匹配”作为优良的粘合剂和还原剂在将线性塑料废物转化为圆形塑料方面发挥重要作用。