Lignin-based anti-UV functional materials: recent advances in preparation and application

To meet the growing demand for modern new green ultraviolet (UV) protection materials, it is essential to design and develop natural biomass-based UV protection materials. As one of the naturally abundant renewable polymers, lignin is an electron-rich polyaromatic metamorphic organic compound with extremely strong bioactivity. In recent years, lignin-based anti-UV functional materials have attracted extensive attention due to their varying degrees of methoxy-rich aromatic structure, high UV absorption capacity, and antioxidant properties, which have been widely studied and applied. Given the rapid development and significant progress of lignin-based anti-UV functional materials, a comprehensive and rigorous review and outlook of lignin-based anti-UV functional materials is presented here. This review aims to highlight the construction methods and development strategies of lignin in anti-UV functional materials and the current understanding of its anti-UV mechanisms, it discusses the development potential and application trends of lignin in anti-UV aging additives, sunscreen products, anti-UV dyes, anti-UV adhesives, and light stabilizer materials, etc., and it also provides insight into the future development of high-performance, biocompatible and biodegradable lignin-based anti-UV functional materials. Investigations and breakthroughs in lignin-based anti-UV materials will be invaluable to the efficient utilization of lignin in other fields.