Lignin-driven Advanced Materials

Meysam Madadi is an Associate Professor at the School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University (Wuxi, China), where he leads research in sustainable biomass conversion and waste valorization technologies. He earned his Ph.D. in Biomass and Bioenergy from Huazhong Agricultural University (Wuhan, China), establishing a strong foundation in renewable energy systems. With expertise spanning pretreatment technologies, catalytic pyrolysis, and green chemistry approaches, Dr. Madadi has developed innovative methods for converting agricultural and industrial waste into value-added biofuels, biochemicals, and functional biomaterials. His significant scholarly contributions include over 60 SCI-indexed publications in prestigious journals such as Nature Food, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Chemical Engineering Journal, and Green Chemistry. Recognized for his research excellence, Dr. Madadi was awarded the competitive Jiangsu High-Level Talent title in 2024, one of the province's most prestigious academic honors. His additional distinctions include the Excellent Young Researcher award from Jiangnan University (2023) and Excellent Postdoctoral Fellow recognition from Jiangsu Province (2022). Through his interdisciplinary work combining biotechnology, chemical engineering, and environmental science, Dr. Madadi continues to advance sustainable solutions for global energy and waste management challenges while fostering international research collaborationsMahdy Elsayed received his master's degree in Biosystems Engineering from the Agricultural Engineering Department at Cairo University, Egypt, and a Ph.D. in Environmental and Energy Engineering from the College of Engineering at Huazhong Agricultural University, China. His primary research interests lie in biosystems engineering and biorefineries, with a focus on cleaner and sustainable production of biofuels and bioproducts. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, China. His interdisciplinary expertise lies in energy and environmental engineering. Dr. Elsayed is currently dedicated to researching the pretreatment and conversion of biowaste, along with other second-generation feedstocks, for efficient utilization in biofuel production. He is the Editor of the Book Volumes " Biogas - Recent Advances and Integrated Approaches", published by IntechOpen. Dr. Elsayed has published over 45 publications, including book chapters, original research papers, and reviews in journals such as Progress in Energy and Combustion Sciences, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Chemical Engineering Journal, and Environmental Chemistry Letters (h-index: 22, i10 index: 27; June 2025, Google Scholar).Mortaza Aghbashlo is a Professor of Biosystems Engineering at the University of Tehran (Iran) and a Visiting Professor at Henan Agricultural University (China), where he helps lead an international platform for high-profile research collaborations. He has authored more than 300 publications, including papers and reviews in Nature Food, Joule, Progress in Energy and Combustion Sciences, Trends in Biotechnology, Biotechnology Advances, Nano Energy, and Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews. As of June 2025 (Google Scholar), his work has attracted 26,200 citations, with an h-index of 88 and an i10-index of 291. Dr Aghbashlo was named a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher in the Cross-Field category (2021). He co-edited the Springer Nature volumes Biodiesel: From Production to Combustion and Fungi in Fuel Biotechnology (both 2018). His editorial service includes membership on the boards of Progress in Energy and Combustion Sciences (Elsevier), Biofuel Research Journal (BRJ), and e-Prime (Elsevier), as well as a term as Associate Editor of Cleaner Environmental Systems (Elsevier). He has also guest-edited special issues for Journal of Hazardous Materials and Environmental Research.Meisam Tabatabaei is a Professor of Environmental Biotechnology at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia. From 2010 to 2019, he worked closely with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to promote waste-oriented biofuels in the developing world. Since 2016, he has been the lead collaborator of the Lancet Commission on Public Health and Climate Change (UCL, UK). He has published over 450 works, including original research papers and reviews in leading journals such as The Lancet, Progress in Energy and Combustion Sciences, Nature Food, Trends in Biotechnology, and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. He currently serves as a Visiting Professor at Henan Agricultural University (China), Visiting Professor & Global Ambassador at the University of Saskatchewan (Canada), and Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Zhengzhou University (China). He has held top editorial roles in journals with impact factors above 30 and is currently Associate Editor of Critical Reviews in Biotechnology and an editorial board member of the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. As of June 2025, Prof. Tabatabaei has led and collaborated on 24 research projects with a focus on waste valorisation and biorefineries, sustainable aquaculture, climate change, and food security.

• Part I: Introduction to lignin1. Lignin: the fundamentals Provide an in-depth overview of chemical structure and properties of LigninPart II: Current technologies in lignin extraction and characterization2. Pretreatment methods in lignin extraction Explore the current pretreatment methods in lignin extraction and the features of the lignin extracted using different methods3. Advance analytical tools for lignin characterization Focus on the current analytical tools used for lignin characterization in detail4. Requirement and features of lignin for advanced materials Explores the necessary characteristics and attributes of lignin for applications in advanced materialsPart III: Lignin-driven advanced materials5. Lignin-based carbon fiber Delve into the synthesis, properties, and applications of carbon fibers derived from lignin as a renewable and sustainable precursor material6. Lignin-based antimicrobial materials Focus on the utilization of lignin in the development of materials with antimicrobial properties, exploring applications in areas such as health care or other industries where antimicrobial features are desirable7. Lignin-based rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors Explore the use of lignin-derived carbon materials in the development of electrodes for rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, emphasizing their electrochemical properties, sustainability advantages, and potential for replacing fossil-derived carbon sources in energy storage systems8. Lignin-based films and coatings Cover the development, properties, and applications of films and coatings derived from lignin, exploring their potential in areas such as packaging and sustainable materials9. Lignin-based composites Discuss the formulation, properties, and applications of composite materials incorporating lignin, exploring their use in diverse industries such as construction and automotive for enhanced sustainability and performance10. Lignin-based hydrogels, aerogels, and adhesives Delve into the development and applications of hydrogels, aerogels, and adhesives derived from lignin, exploring their properties and potential uses in fields such as biomedicine, environmental technologies, and adhesive applications11. Lignin-based Thermoplastic Investigate the incorporation of lignin into thermoplastic polymers to develop bio-based, moldable materials with enhanced thermal stability, mechanical performance, and reduced environmental impact, targeting applications in packaging, automotive parts, and consumer goodsPart IV: Analysis and Assessment12. Life cycle sustainability assessment of lignin-driven materials Perform a thorough sustainability evaluation encompassing energy, environmental, and social metrics13. Techno-Economic analysis and market prospects for lignin-driven materials Evaluate the economic feasibility and market prospects for lignin-driven materials