Role of methoxy and C_(α)-based substituents in electrochemical oxidation mechanisms and bond cleavage selectivity of β-O-4 lignin model compounds

In order to better understand the specific substituent effects on the electrochemical oxidation process of β-O-4 bond, a series of methoxyphenyl type β-O-4 dimer model compounds with different localized methoxyl groups, including 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanone, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanol, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol, 2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone, 2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol have been selected and their electrochemical properties have been studied experimentally by cyclic voltammetry, and FT-IR spectroelectrochemistry. Combining with electrolysis products distribution analysis and density functional theory calculations, oxidation mechanisms of all six model dimers have been explored. In particular, a total effect from substituents of both para-methoxy(on the aryl ring closing to Cα) and Cα-OH on the oxidation mechanisms has been clearly observed, showing a significant selectivity on the Cα-Cβbond cleavage induced by electrochemical oxidations.

Properties of Bark Particleboard Bonded with Demethylated Lignin Adhesives Derived from Leucaena leucocephala Bark

Lignin extraction from bark can maximize the utilization of biomass waste,offer cost-effectiveness,and promote environmental friendliness when employed as an adhesive material in bark particleboard production.Particles of fine(0.2 to 1.0 mm),medium(1.0 to 2.5 mm),and coarse(2.5 to 12.0 mm)sizes,derived from the bark of Leucaena leucocephala,were hot-pressed using a heating plate at 175℃for 7 min to create single-layer particleboards measuring 320 mm×320 mm×10 mm,targeting a density of 700 kg/m^(3).Subsequently,the samples were trimmed and conditioned at 20℃and 65%relative humidity.In this study,we compared bark particleboard bonded with urea formaldehyde(UF)adhesive to fine-sized particleboard bonded with demethylated lignin adhesive.The results indicated that bark particleboards utilizing demethylated lignin and UF adhesives exhibited similar qualities.Coarse particleboard showed differences in modulus of elasticity(MOE)and modulus of rupture(MOR),while medium-sized particles exhibited significant variations in moisture content(MC)and water absorption(WA).Furthermore,the thickness swelling of coarse and medium-sized particles under wet and oven-dried conditions exhibited notable distinctions.Overall,the demethylated lignin adhesive extracted from L.leucocephala bark demonstrated similar quality to UF adhesive,with particle size correlating inversely to the strength of the bark particleboard.

Tandem hydroalkylation and deoxygenation of lignin-derived phenolics to synthesize high-density fuels

Lignin is the most abundant naturally phenolic biomass,and the synthesis of high-performance renewable fuel from lignin has attracted significant attention.We propose the efficient synthesis of high-density fuels using simulated lignin cracked oil in tandem with hydroalkylation and deoxygenation reactions.First,we investigated the reaction pathway for the hydroalkylation of phenol,which competes with the hydrodeoxygenation form cyclohexane.And then,we investigated the effects of metal catalyst types,the loading amount of metallic,acid dosage,and reactant ratio on the reaction results.The phenol hydroalkylation and hydrodeoxygenation were balanced when 180℃ and 5 MPa H_(2)with the alkanes yield of 95%.By extending the substrate to other lignin-derived phenolics and simulated lignin cracked oil,we obtained the polycyclic alkane fuel with high density of 0.918 g·ml^(-1)and calorific value of41.2 MJ·L^(-1).Besides,the fuel has good low-temperature properties(viscosity of 9.3 mm^(2)·s^(-1)at 20℃ and freezing point below-55℃),which is expected to be used as jet fuel.This work provides a promising way for the easy and green production of high-density fuel directly from real lignin oil.

Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis provides insights into lignin biosynthesis and accumulation and differences in lodging resistance in hybrid wheat

The use of hybrid wheat is one way to improve the yield in the future.However,greater plant heights increase lodging risk to some extent.In this study,two hybrid combinations with differences in lodging resistance were used to analyze the stem-related traits during the filling stage,and to investigate the mechanism of the difference in lodging resistance by analyzing lignin synthesis of the basal second internode(BSI).The stem-related traits such as the breaking strength,stem pole substantial degree(SPSD),and rind penetration strength(RPS),as well as the lignin content of the lodging-resistant combination(LRC),were significantly higher than those of the lodgingsensitive combination(LSC).The phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was significantly and simultaneously enriched according to the transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis at the later filling stage.A total of 35 critical regulatory genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway were identified.Moreover,42%of the identified genes were significantly and differentially expressed at the later grain-filling stage between the two combinations,among which more than 80%were strongly up-regulated at that stage in the LRC compared with LSC.On the contrary,the LRC displayed lower contents of lignin intermediate metabolites than the LSC.These results suggested that the key to the lodging resistance formation of LRC is largely the higher lignin synthesis at the later grain-filling stage.Finally,breeding strategies for synergistically improving plant height and lodging resistance of hybrid wheat were put forward by comparing the LRC with the conventional wheat applied in large areas.

Efficient removal of Cr(VI) by polydopamine-modified lignin from aqueous solution: Batch and XAFS studies

Lignocellulose has the potential to become a bio-based adsorbent due to its biodegradability and renewability.In this study,a novel polydopamine functionalized-lignin(lignin@PDA),prepared via self-polymerization of dopamine(PDA)on lignin,was used as a bio-based adsorbent for rapid scavenging of hexavalent chromium(Cr(VI)).The morphology,functional groups,crystalline structure,and chemical composition of lignin@PDA were characterized with a scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometer,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.The Cr(VI)adsorption process of lignin@PDA was studied using batch experiments as a function of pH,ionic strength,adsorbent dose,and contact time at room temperature.The adsorption rate of lignin@PDA was five times greater than that of the unmodified lignin,with a maximum adsorption capacity of 102.6 mg/g in an acidic medium.The adsorption of Cr(VI)on lignin@PDA fit the pseudo-secondorder equation and the Freundlich model,indicating that the adsorption process was mainly dominated by chemisorption and surface complexation.The thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption of Cr(VI)on lignin@PDA was an endothermic and spontaneous process.The X-ray absorption fine structure results showed that sorption and reduction of Cr(VI)into Cr(II)occurred simultaneously on lignin.Moreover,PDA coating not only improved the reactivity of lignin but also promoted the complete reduction of Cr(VI)by lignin.According to these results,polydopamine functionalized-lignin is a promising bio-based adsorbent for immobilization of Cr(VI)from wastewater.

Green synthesis of ZSM-5 using silica fume and catalytic co-cracking of lignin and plastics for production of monocyclic aromatics

ZSM-5 with hierarchical pore structure was synthesized by a simple two-step hydrothermal crystallization from silica fume without using any organic ammonium templates.The synthesized ZSM-5 were oval shaped particles with a particle size about 2.0 μm and weak acid-dominated with proper Brønsted(B)and Lewis(L)acid sites.The ZSM-5 was used for catalytic co-cracking of n-octane and guaiacol,lowdensity polyethylene(LDPE)and alkali lignin(AL)to enhance the production of benzene,toluene,ethylbenzene and xylene(BTEX).The most significant synergistic effect occurred at n-octane/guaiacol at 1:1 and LDPE/AL at 1:3,under the condition,the achieved BTEX selectivity were 24%and 33%(mass)higher than the calculated values(weighted average).The highest BTEX selectivity reached 88.5%,which was 3.7%and 54.2%higher than those from individual cracking LDPE and AL.The synthesized ZSM-5 exhibited superior catalytic performance compared to the commercial ZSM-5,indicating potential application prospect.

Alcohol solvent effect on the self-assembly behaviors of lignin oligomers

The interactions between lignin oligomers and solvents determine the behaviors of lignin oligomers self-assembling into uniform lignin nanoparticles(LNPs).Herein,several alcohol solvents,which readily interact with the lignin oligomers,were adopted to study their effects during solvent shifting process for LNPs’production.The lignin oligomers with widely distributed molecular weight and abundant guaiacyl units were extracted from wood waste(mainly consists of pine wood),exerting outstanding self-assembly capability.Uniform and spherical LNPs were generated in H_(2)O-n-propanol cosolvent,whereas irregular LNPs were obtained in H_(2)O-methanol cosolvent.The unsatisfactory self-assembly performance of the lignin oligomers in H_(2)O-methanol cosolvent could be attributed to two aspects.On one hand,for the initial dissolution state,the distinguishing Hansen solubility parameter and polarity between methanol solvent and lignin oligomers resulted in the poor dispersion of the lignin oligomers.On the other hand,strong hydrogen bonds between methanol solvent and lignin oligomers during solvent shifting process,hindered the interactions among the lignin oligomers for self-assembly.

Synergy of heterogeneous Co/Ni dual atoms enabling selective C-O bond scission of lignin coupling with in-situ N-functionalization

Selective cleavage of Csp^(2)-OCH_(3)bond in lignin without breaking other types of C-O bonds followed by N-functionalization is fascinating for on-purpose valorization of biomass.Here,a Co/Ni-based dual-atom catalyst CoNiDA@NC prepared by in-situ evaporation and acid-etching of metal species from tailor-made metal–organic frameworks was efficient for reductive upgrading of various lignin-derived phenols to cyclohexanols(88.5%–99.9%yields),which had ca.4 times higher reaction rate than the single-atom catalyst and was superior to state-of-the-art heterogeneous catalysts.The synergistic catalysis of Co/Ni dual atoms facilitated both hydrogen dissociation and hydrogenolysis steps,and could optimize adsorption configuration of lignin-derived methoxylated phenols to further favor the Csp^(2)-OCH_(3)cleavage,as elaborated by theoretical calculations.Notably,the CoNi_(DA)@NC catalyst was highly recyclable,and exhibited excellent demethoxylation performance(77.1%yield)in real lignin monomer mixtures.Via in-situ cascade conversion processes assisted by dual-atom catalysis,various high-value N-containing chemicals,including caprolactams and cyclohexylamines,could be produced from lignin.

One-Step to Prepare Lignin Based Fluorescent Nanoparticles with Excellent Radical Scavenging Activity

Fluorescent nanomaterials have attracted much attention,due to their unique luminescent properties and promis-ing applications in biomedical areas.In this study,lignin basedfluorescent nanoparticles(LFNP)with high yield(up to 32.4%)were prepared from lignin nanoparticles(LNP)by one-pot hydrothermal method with ethylene-diamine(EDA)and citric acid.Morphology and chemical structure of LFNP were investigated by SEM,FT-IR,and zeta potential,and it was found that the structure of LFNP changed with the increase of citric acid addition.LFNP showed the highestfluorescence intensity under UV excitation at wavelengths of 375–385 nm,with emis-sion wavelengths between 454–465 nm,and exhibited strong photoluminescence behavior.Meanwhile,with the increase of citric acid content,the energy gap(ΔE)gradually decreased from 3.87 to 3.14 eV,which corresponds to the gradual enhancement offluorescence performance.LFNP also exhibited excellent antioxidant activity,with DPPH free radical scavenging rate increased from 80.8%for LNP up to 96.7%for LFNP,confirming the great potential of these materials for application in biomedicine and cosmetic health care.

Conversion of Lignin into Porous Carbons for High-Performance Supercapacitors via Spray Drying and KOH Activation: Structure-Properties Relationship and Reaction Mechanism

Lignin-derived porous carbons have emerged as promising electrode materials for supercapacitors.However,the challenge remains in designing and controlling their structure to achieve ideal electrochemical performance due to the complex molecular structure of lignin and its intricate chemical reactions during the activation process.In this study,three porous carbons were synthesized from lignin by spray drying and chemical activation with vary-ing KOH ratios.The specific surface area and structural order of the prepared porous carbon continued to increase with the increase of the KOH ratio.Thermogravimetric-mass spectrometry(TG-MS)was employed to track the molecular fragments generated during the pyrolysis of KOH-activated lignin,and the mechanism of the thermochemical conversion was investigated.During the thermochemical conversion of lignin,KOH facili-tated the removal of H2 and CO,leading to the formation of not only more micropores and mesopores,but also more ordered carbon structures.The pore structure exhibited a greater impact than the carbon structure on the electrochemical performance of porous carbon.The optimized porous carbon exhibited a capacitance of 256 F g-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g-1,making it an ideal electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin-Derived Vanillin via Hetero-Structured High-Entropy Alloy/Oxide Catalysts

The chemoselective hydrodeoxygenation of natural lignocellulosic materials plays a crucial role in converting biomass into value-added chemicals.Yet their complex molecular structures often require multiple active sites synergy for effective activation and achieving high chemoselectivity.Herein,it is reported that a high-entropy alloy(HEA)on high-entropy oxide(HEO)hetero-structured catalyst for highly active,chemoselective,and robust vanillin hydrodeoxygenation.The heterogenous HEA/HEO catalysts were prepared by thermal reduction of senary HEOs(NiZnCuFeAlZrO_(x)),where exsolvable metals(e.g.,Ni,Zn,Cu)in situ emerged and formed randomly dispersed HEA nanoparticles anchoring on the HEO matrix.This catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic performance:100%conversion of vanillin and 95%selectivity toward high-value 2-methyl-4 methoxy phenol at low temperature of 120℃,which were attributed to the synergistic effect among HEO matrix(with abundant oxygen vacancies),anchored HEA nanoparticles(having excellent hydrogenolysis capability),and their intimate hetero-interfaces(showing strong electron transferring effect).Therefore,our work reported the successful construction of HEA/HEO heterogeneous catalysts and their superior multifunctionality in biomass conversion,which could shed light on catalyst design for many important reactions that are complex and require multifunctional active sites.

Natural Lignin:A Sustainable and Cost-Effective Electrode Material for High-Temperature Na-Ion Battery

Rechargeable sodium-ion batteries usually suffer from accelerated electrode destruction at high temperatures and high synthesis costs of electrode materials.Therefore,it is highly desirable to explore novel organic electrodes considering their cost-effectiveness and large adaptability to volume changes.Herein,natural biomass,pristine lignin,is employed as the sodium-ion battery anodes,and their sodium storage performance is investigated at room temperature and 60℃.The lignin anodes exhibit excellent high-temperature sodium-ion battery performance.This mainly results from the generation of abundant reactive sites(C=O)due to the high temperature-induced homogeneous cleavage of the C_(β)-O bond in the lignin macromolecule.This work can inspire researchers to explore other natural organic materials for large-scale applications and high-value utilization in advanced energy storage devices.

Adhesion of Technical Lignin-Based Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Adhesives for Wood Bonding

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic natural polymer,and receiving great attention in replacing various petro-leum-based polymers.The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of technical lignin as a polyol for the synthesis of non-isocyanate polyurethane(NIPU)adhesives to substitute current polyurethane(PU)adhesives that have been synthesized with toxic isocyanate and polyols.Crude hardwood kraft lignin(C-HKL)was extracted from black liquor from a pulp mill followed by acetone fractionation to obtain acetone soluble-HKL(AS-HKL).Then,C-HKL,AS-HKL,and softwood sodium lignosulfonate(LS)were used for the synthesis of technical lignin-based NIPU adhesives through carbonation and polyamination and silane as a cross-linker.Their adhesion per-formance was determined for plywood.FTIR spectra showed the formation of urethane bonds and the reaction between lignin and silane.The NIPU adhesives prepared with C-HKL showed the highest adhesion strength among the three lignin-based NIPU adhesives.As the silane addition level increased,the adhesion strength of NIPU adhesives increased whereas formaldehyde emission decreased for all NIPU adhesives prepared.These results indicate that NIPU adhesives based on technical kraft lignin have a great potential as polyol for the synth-esis of bio-based NIPU adhesives for wood bonding.

Color and Gloss Changes of a Lignin-Based Polyurethane Coating under Accelerated Weathering

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the properties of polyurethane coatings based on lignin nano-particles.For this purpose,the prepared coatings were applied to pine wood surfaces and weathered artificially.Subsequently,color and gloss of the coatings were measured before and after the weathering test.Field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM)micrographs prepared from the coatings showed that the average size of nano-particles in the polyurethane substrate was approximately 500 nm.Nuclear magnetic resonance(13C-NMR)spectroscopy showed that strong urethane bonds were formed in the nano-lignin-based polyurethane.Differential calorimetric analysis(DSC)test revealed that the glass-transition temperature(Tg)of lignin nanoparticles modified with diethylenetriamine(DETA)was 112.8℃ and Tg of lignin nano-particles modified with ethylenediamine(EDA)was 102.5℃,which is lower than the Tg of un-modified lignin(114.6℃)and lignin modified with DETA(126.8℃)and lignin modified with EDA(131.3℃).The coatings modified with lignin nano-particles had a greater change in gloss.The lignin nano-particles in the modified coating are trapping hydroxyl radicals which reduces photoactivity and yellowing of the polyurethane by about 3 times compared to unmodified polyurethane coatings.After weathering test,the nano-lignin-based coating had a rougher surface with a lower contact angle(0.78°)compared to the unmodified polyurethane coating(0.85°).

Thermo-Mechanical, Physico-Chemical, Morphological, and Fire Characteristics of Eco-Friendly Particleboard Manufactured with Phosphorylated Lignin Addition

Lignin,lignosulfonate,and synthesized phosphorylated lignosulfonate were introduced as greenfillers in citric acid-sucrose adhesives for bonding particleboard fabricated from areca leaf sheath(ALS).The characteristics of particleboards were compared to that of ultralow emitting formaldehyde(ULEF-UF).Thefillers derived from Eucalyptus spp.kraft-lignin were added forflame retardancy enhancement.10%of each lignin and modified lig-nin was added into the ULEF-UF and citric acid-sucrose bonded particleboards.Analyses applied to particle-boards included thermal characteristics,X-ray diffraction analysis(XRD),morphological properties,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),as well as physical,mechanical,andfire resistance characteristics of the laboratory-fabricated particleboards.Lignin and modified lignin resulted in improved thermal stability of the composites bonded with ULEF-UF while the improvement in the particleboard bonded with citric acid-sucrose was not significant.The introduction offiller exerted a higher influence on the UF-bonded particleboards compared to composites fabricated with citric acid-sucrose.Generally,the presence of lignin,lignosulfonate,and phosphorylated lignosulfonate enhanced the mechanical strength of the ULEF-bonded particleboards,although their dimensional stability has deteriorated.Markedly,the use of lignin and lignosulfonate enhanced thefire resis-tance of the particleboards produced with lower observed weight loss.All laboratory particleboards exhibited satisfactoryfire resistance,attaining a V-0 rating in according to the UL-94 standard.

Conversion of lignin oil and hemicellulose derivative into high-density jet fuel

Synthesizing high-density fuel from lignocellulose can not only achieve green and low-carbon development,but also expand the feedstock source of hydrocarbon fuel.Here,we reported a route of producing high-density fuel from lignin oil and hemicellulose derivative cyclopentanol through alkylation and hydrodeoxygenation,HY with SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) molar ratio of 5.3 was screened as the alkylation catalyst in the reaction of model phenolic compounds and mixtures,and the reaction conditions were optimized to achieve conversion of phenolic compounds higher than 87%and selectivity of bicyclic and tricyclic products higher than 99%.Then two phenolic pools simulating the composition of two typic lignin oils were studied to validate the alkylation and analyze the competition mechanism of phenolic compounds in mixture system.Finally,real lignin oil from depolymerized of beech powder was tested,and notably80%of phenolic monomers in the oil were converted into fuel precursor.After hydrodeoxygenation,the alkylated product was converted to fuel blend with a density of 0.91 g/mL at 20℃and a freezing point lower than-60℃,very promising as high density fuel.This work provides a facile and energyefficient way of synthesizing high-performance jet fuel directly from lignocellulosic derivatives,which decreases processing energy consumption and improve the utilization rate of feedstock.

Late sowing enhances lodging resistance of wheat plants by improving the biosynthesis and accumulation of lignin and cellulose

Delayed sowing mitigates lodging in wheat. However, the mechanism underlying the enhanced lodging resistance in wheat has yet to be fully elucidated. Field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of sowing date on lignin and cellulose metabolism, stem morphological characteristics, lodging resistance, and grain yield. Seeds of Tainong 18,a winter wheat variety, were sown on October 8(normal sowing) and October 22(late sowing) during both of the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 growing seasons. The results showed that late sowing enhanced the lodging resistance of wheat by improving the biosynthesis and accumulation of lignin and cellulose. Under late sowing, the expression levels of key genes(Ta PAL, Ta CCR, Ta COMT, TaCAD, and TaCesA1, 3, 4, 7, and 8) and enzyme activities(TaPAL and TaCAD) related to lignin and cellulose biosynthesis peaked 4–12 days earlier, and except for the TaPAL, TaCCR, and TaCesA1 genes and TaPAL, in most cases they were significantly higher than under normal sowing. As a result, lignin and cellulose accumulated quickly during the stem elongation stage. The mean and maximum accumulation rates of lignin and cellulose increased, the maximum accumulation contents of lignin and cellulose were higher, and the cellulose accumulation duration was prolonged. Consequently, the lignin/cellulose ratio and lignin content were increased from 0 day and the cellulose content was increased from 11 days after jointing onward. Our main finding is that the improved biosynthesis and accumulation of lignin and cellulose were responsible for increasing the stem-filling degree, breaking strength, and lodging resistance. The major functional genes enhancing lodging resistance in wheat that are induced by delayed sowing need to be determined.

Investigation of the Interaction Mechanism between Lignin Structural Units and Enzyme

The effect of lignin structural units on enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass was investigated,especially the inhibitory role of lignin in non-productive adsorption with enzymes.Milled wood lignin(MWL)was isolated from different hardwoods of poplar,eucalyptus and acacia.The isolated lignin samples were characterized by elemental analysis,gel permeation chromatography,nitrobenzene oxidation and fourier infrared spectroscopy.The mechanism of lignin structural units on enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose was studied by quartz crystal microbalance(QCM).The results showed that different structural units of lignin had different adsorption capacity for enzymes.The results of nitrobenzene oxidation indicated that the S/G ratio(S:syringyl-like lignin structures;G:guaiacyl-like lignin structures)of lignin of poplar was 0.99,that of eucalyptus was 1.92 and that of acacia was 1.34.According to the results of QCM,the adsorption capacity of the three lignin films was as follows:Poplar MWL(S/G ratio 0.99)<Acacia MWL(S/G ratio 1.34)<Eucalyptus MWL(S/G ratio 1.92).Eucalyptus MWL with higher degree of condensation and S/G ratio showed stronger affinity to enzymes and more non-productive adsorption with enzymes,resulting in less adsorption between enzymes and cellulose,and lower enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency.

Lignin-based Hydrogels for Biological Application

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic compound found in nature.The rich functional groups of lignin are responsible for its antibacterial,antioxidant,anti-ultraviolet,and biocompatible properties.As modified lignin has a higher molecular weight,water solubility,and better surface activity,it is a good candidate for the construction of new biological materials.Ligninbased hydrogels are a type of functional materials with broad application prospects in the biomedical field.This review aimed to introduce the biological properties of lignin and the application of lignin-based hydrogels in the biological field.

Radical and(photo)electron transfer induced mechanisms for lignin photo-and electro-catalytic depolymerization

As one of the three major components of woody biomass,lignin is a kind of natural organic polymer and the only abundant natural renewable resource with aromatic nucleus.Chemical catalysis induced depolymerization is an important and effective approach for lignin utilization.In particular,photocatalysis and electrocatalysis show great potential in accurately activating C-O/C-C bonds,which is a critical point of selective cleavage of lignin.In this contribution,we focus on radical and(photo)electron transfer induced reaction mechanisms of the photo(electro)catalytic depolymerization of lignin.Primarily,the general situation of Carbon-centered radicals and active oxygen species mediated lignin conversion has been discussed.Then the mechanisms for(photo)electron transfer mediated lignin depolymerization have been summarized.At the end of this review,the challenges and opportunities of photo(electro)catalysis in the applications of lignin valorization have been forecasted.