Lignocellulose Utilization: Emerging and Innovative Conversion Processes

Lignocellulose utilization offers a sustainable route toward a circular economy, enabling the production of diverse value-added products through thermochemical, biological, and catalytic processes. Effective pretreatment is essential for efficient conversion, as it disrupts the recalcitrant structure of the plant cell wall. Additionally, lignocellulose fractionation is a critical step that allows for the separate and optimal utilization of its three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. However, conventional pretreatment and fractionation processes are often energy-intensive and may lead to the devaluation of these components due to degradation, depolymerization, and condensation reactions.

This Research Topic aims to highlight and disseminate cutting-edge research on emerging, energy-efficient, and innovative processes for lignocellulose conversion. The main objectives are to promote strategies that overcome current limitations of pretreatment and fractionation, advance the stabilization and functionalization of lignin, and accelerate the development of sustainable catalytic pathways for transforming carbohydrates and lignin into high-value products. Key research questions include how novel solvents and catalysts can reduce energy consumption, how to suppress degradation reactions that devalue biomass components, and how new conversion pathways can support a more robust and integrated biorefinery model.

We welcome submissions of Original Research, Mini Review, and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:

• Energy-efficient pretreatment/fractionation processes
• Lignin stabilization and tandem functionalization strategies
• Ionic liquids-based processes
• Deep eutectic solvents-based processes
• Catalytic conversion of carbohydrates and lignin
• Lignocellulose-based bioplastics
• Emerging applications of carbohydrates and lignin
• Biochar
• Pyrolysis

We look forward to your contributions to this exciting Research Topic.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Lignocellulose, Value-added products, Energy-efficient, Ionic liquids, Deep eutectic solvents, Catalytic conversion, Lignin stabilization, Pyrolysis, Biochar

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.