IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,590,113
Granted Patent B2
US 12,590,113 · App. 17/842,062 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Continuous processing of lignin for reduced solvent usage in reductive catalytic fractionation

Inventors: Jacob S. Kruger (Arvada, CO); Gregg Tyler Beckham (Golden, CO); David Gregory Brandner (Golden, CO); Andrew Wolf Bartling (Golden, CO); Yuriy Román (Cambridge, MA); Jun Hee Jang (Lakewood, CO); Nicholas Earl Thornburg (Denver, CO); Gregory George Facas (Moorestown, NJ)
Assignees: Alliance for Energy Innovation, LLC; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
C07G1/00B01J8/0278B01J21/18B01J23/755
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,590,113
App. No.
17/842,062
Granted
Mar 31, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein are devices and methods for the efficient and economic generation of lignin monomers from biomass. The provided devices and methods utilize reductive catalytic fractionation with an organic solvent to extract high-quality lignin from biomass and cleave specific lignin bonds to generate valuable lignin monomers with a relatively narrow product slate. Advantageously, the devices and methods described herein utilize solvent recycling, multiple solvolysis chambers with multiple biomass beds and/or physical agitation (e.g., use of a screw extruder) to reduce the amount of solvent required and increase economic efficiency and monomer yield.

Claims (17)

1 . A method comprising:

treating biomass with a solvent in at least one solvolysis chamber, thereby extracting lignin and generating a solvolysis liquor;

reacting the solvolysis liquor in the presence of a catalyst, thereby generating at least one lignin monomer;

flowing the solvolysis liquor from the solvolysis chamber and recycling the solvolysis liquor back to the solvolysis chamber, thereby increasing the concentration of lignin in the solvolysis liquor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of treating biomass occurs in a plurality of solvolysis chambers, and

wherein each of the solvolysis chambers comprises a biomass bed.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of solvolysis chambers are arranged in parallel.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of solvolysis chambers comprises a screw extruder.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of treating biomass is performed in the presence of a screw extruder.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of storing the solvolysis liquor prior to reacting the solvolysis liquor in the presence of a catalyst.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of storing the solvolysis liquor comprises storing the solvolysis liquor for a time period greater than or equal to 1 day.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of storing the solvolysis liquor further comprises analyzing the solvolysis liquor.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises an alcohol.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is methanol.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises Ni/C.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the biomass comprises providing a solvent at a ratio less than or equal to 4:1 wt % solvent to biomass.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method yields greater than or equal to 15 wt % lignin monomers with respect to lignin weight.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: ALLIANCE FOR ENERGY INNOVATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 073993/0276 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2024
From: ROMÁN, YURIY
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 069545/0805 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Sep 2, 2022
From: NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 060983/0817 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2022
From: THORNBURG, NICHOLAS EARL; FACAS, GREGORY GEORGE
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 060608/0637 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2022
From: KRUGER, JACOB S.; BECKHAM, GREGG TYLER; BRANDNER, DAVID GREGORY; BARTLING, ANDREW WOLF; JANG, JUN HEE
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 060432/0397 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63211238 · Jun 16, 2021
Related Publication 20220411454A1 · Dec 29, 2022
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