Novel materials based on lignin from biomass with enhanced luminescent activity
J2-50061
Project code: J2-50061
Duration: 1. 10. 2023 - 30. 9. 2026
Slovene project title: Novi materiali na osnovi lignina iz biomase s povečano luminiscenčno aktivnostjo
English project title: Novel materials based on lignin from biomass with enhanced luminescent activity
Principal investigator:
znanst. sod. dr.
Papan Djaniš Jelena
Luminescent materials are among the most commonly used materials in our daily lives. However, the production of these materials does not currently align with the global “green” strategy. At present, luminescent materials are mostly produced from fossil resources, which causes additional environmental problems. The use of biomass could reduce dependence on fossil fuels in the luminescent materials industry and lead to the desired “green” production. One of the most promising biomass-derived materials for producing luminescent materials is lignin, which has a complex polymeric structure composed of three distinct aromatic units. This complex aromatic structure provides a good basis for using lignin as a luminescent material. The main objective of this project, titled “New Biomass-Derived Lignin-Based Materials with Enhanced Luminescent Activity,” is to functionalize various types of lignin and convert them into lignin quantum dots (LG CQDs). This type of material is already being produced, but it exhibits limited luminescence, with blue emission and low quantum yield. A high quantum yield is extremely important for the application of luminescent materials. To convert it into quantum dots, we will use lignin obtained from various types of biomass (hardwood, conifers, and grass) and three types of lignin depolymerization: kraft lignin, organosolv, and ultrasound-assisted depolymerized lignin. Our new lignin quantum dots will be designed and synthesized to exhibit improved luminescent properties, with a color emission different from blue and increased quantum yield. We will perform a comprehensive structural, morphological, and optical characterization of the new materials. We will test the luminescent lignin quantum dots as temperature and pressure sensors, which will provide additional insight into the spectroscopic studies of the newly prepared luminescent materials. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Jožef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana and the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław, Poland.
The Slovenian members of the research group are:
- dr. Jelena Papan Djaniš (principal investigator) (FKKT)
- prof. dr. Jernej Iskra (FKKT)
- Jan Hočevar (FKKT)
- dr. Griša Grigorij Prinčič (FKKT)
- Azmat Ullah (FKKT)
- dr. Andraž Šuligoj (FKKT)
- prof. dr. Darja Lisjak (IJS)
The Polish members of the research group:
- dr. Karolina Elżbieciak-Piecka (principal investigator)
- prof. dr. Lukasz Marciniak
Project Objectives:
- Extraction of lignin from various plants using different depolymerization methods and its subsequent structural modification
- Design and synthesis of new LG-CQD luminescent nanomaterials
- Detailed investigation of the spectroscopic properties of LG-CQDs and testing of their applications (temperature and pressure sensors)
Review article:
- Papan Djaniš, Jelena, Jan Hočevar, Griša Grigorij Prinčič, and Jernej Iskra. "Breaking Down Lignin: A Macromolecule's Path to the Nanoscale." Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research 7, no. 3 (2026): e202500283. https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202500283
Scientific articles:
- Papan Djaniš, Jelena, Maja Szymczak, Jan Hočevar, Jernej Iskra, Boštjan Genorio, Darja Lisjak, Łukasz Marciniak, and Karolina Elżbieciak-Piecka. "Exploring the interplay between formation mechanisms and luminescence of lignin carbon quantum dots from spruce biomass." Dyes and Pigments (2025): 113301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2025.113301
- Knežević, Nataša, Jan Hočevar, Primož Titan, Boštjan Žener, Vesna Lazić, Jernej Iskra, and Jelena Papan Djaniš. "Valorization of tomato stem waste: Lignin nanoparticles as eco-friendly platforms for 2, 4-D and antimicrobial applications." Industrial Crops and Products 241 (2026): 122773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122773
- Periša, Jovana, Jan Hočevar, Bojana Milićević, Jernej Iskra, Boštjan Genorio, Darja Lisjak, Miroslav D. Dramićanin, and Jelena Papan Djaniš. "Tomato-derived carbon quantum dots: composition-driven structure and copper sensing potential." Scientific Reports (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-58128-3
- Szymczak, Maja, Jan Hočevar, Jernej Iskra, Darja Lisjak, Jelena Papan Djaniš, Łukasz Marciniak, and Karolina Elzbieciak-Piecka. "Unlocking Dynamic Luminescent Mapping of pH with Sustainable Lignin-Derived Carbon Dots with Multimodal Readout Capacity." arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.24238 (2025).
Presentation at conferences:
- Elżbieciak-Piecka, Karolina; Szymczak, Maja; Marciniak, Lukasz; Iskra, Jernej; Papan Djaniš, Jelena, Efficient pH sensors based on lignin-derived carbon quantum dots, International Nano-Optoelectronics Workshop, 21-31 July, 2025, Wrocław, Poland; book of abstracts – p. 114.
- Ullah, Azmat; Šuligoj, Andraž; Iskra, Jernej; Lavrenčič Štangar, Urška; Papan Djaniš, Jelena, Optimisation of titanium dioxide photocatalytic efficiency with lignin-derived carbon quantum dots, The 4th Serbian Conference on Materials Application and Technology; national conference with international participation; book of abstracts; October 15th - 17th 2025, Belgrade, Serbia – p. 14.
- Ullah, Azmat; Hočevar, Jan; Žener, Boštjan; Iskra, Jernej; Lavrenčič Štangar, Urška; Papan Djaniš, Jelena, Photodegradation of pharmaceuticals using lignin carbon quantum dots based hybrid photocatalyst under visible light solar simulator, Cutting Edge conference 2025; 15. 9. 2025, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Ljubljana,p. 4.
- Papan Djaniš, Jelena; Szymczak, Maja; Hočevar, Jan; Iskra, Jernej; Genorio, Boštjan; Lisjak, Darja; Marciniak, Lukasz; Elżbieciak-Piecka, Karolina, Synthesis of N, B-doped carbon quantum dots from spruce lignin and their use as a temperature probe, 6th International Conference on Materials Science & Nanotechnology; October 27-29, 2025, Tenerife, Canary Islands, October 30, 2025, p. 118-119.
- Lesinšek, Neja; Ullah, Azmat; Hočevar, Jan; Žener, Boštjan; Papan Djaniš, Jelena; Iskra, Jernej, Synthesis, characterization and interaction between lignin nanoparticles and nanoplastics, Cutting Edge conference 2025; 15. 9. 2025, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Ljubljana; p. 44.
- Papan Djaniš, Jelena; Szymczak, Maja; Hočevar, Jan; Iskra, Jernej; Genorio, Boštjan; Lisjak, Darja; Marciniak, Łukasz; Elżbieciak-Piecka, Karolina, The role of acidolysis on the structure and luminescent properties of lignin carbon quantum dots, 31st Annual Meeting of the Slovenian Chemical Society; 17.-19. september 2025, Portorož-Portorose, Slovenija - p. 69.
- Papan Djaniš, Jelena; Hočevar, Jan; Prinčič, Griša Grigorij; Elżbieciak-Piecka, Karolina; Marciniak, Lukasz; Iskra, Jernej, Luminescent nanomaterials from spruce biomass, The 7th International Conference on the Physics of Optical Materials and Devices & The 4th International Conference on Phosphor Thermometry; book of abstracts; Becici, Montenegro, 26th to 30th of August 2024 – p. 186.
- Hočevar, Jan; Prinčič, Griša Grigorij; Elżbieciak-Piecka, Karolina; Marciniak, Łukasz; Iskra, Jernej; Papan Djaniš, Jelena, Usage of lignin from invasive Fallopia japonica to synthesize luminescent nanomaterials, 30th Annual Meeting of the Slovenian Chemical Society; 18.-20. september 2024, Portorož-Portorose, Slovenija - p. 175.
Invited lecture:
- Periša, Jovana ; Milićević, Bojana ; Hočevar, Jan ; Iskra, Jernej ; Genorio, Boštjan ; Lisjak, Darja ; Dramićanin, Miroslav D. ; Papan Djaniš, Jelena. Biomass-derived carbon quantum dots: structural insights and photoluminescence from tomato sources. The 4th Serbian Conference on Materials Application and Technology; national conference with international participation; book of abstracts; October 15th - 17th 2025, Belgrade, Serbia - p. 11.