Analysis of Lignin Aromatic Structure in Wood Based on the IR Spectrum

Abstract A total of 17 softwoods and 48 hardwoods were analyzed by IR spectroscopy to examine if syringyl ratio (syringyl/(syringyl+guaiacyl)) calculated from nitrobenzene oxidation products can be precisely expressed by area ratios of characteristic peaks of lignin in IR spectrum. Area ratio of two peaks is referred to as that of two wavenumber domains, represented by “wavenumber 1/ wavenumber 2.” Examined peak area ratios were 1595/1509, 1509/1460, 1275/1220, 1130/1032, and 835/(855+815). Among these ratios, log(1595/1509) and log(1275/1220) showed significant linear relationship with the syringyl ratios with a correlation coefficient of 0.98 for all 65 woods. These two ratios could also be used to distinguish all the hardwoods from the softwoods.