8317267 Canada brings its lignin fractionation tech out of stealth
In British Columbia, 8317267 Canada brought its Lignin Isolate Fractionation Technology out of stealth, describing it as “a cost-effective and highly efficient lignin purification and preparation process, designed to meet the demand for a reliable supply of technical lignin optimized for use within high-value applications. Also, the company is seeking both upstream raw lignin feedstock suppliers and downstream off-take development partners to commercialize the technology.
What can it do? For one, produce a polyurethane bio-foam without any specialized process equipment to solubilize or incorporate the lignin component. 8317267 Canada said that the advantage of the LIFT process is two-fold:
• First, the process purifies the lignin by removing residual inorganic substances and other non-lignin contaminants in the feedstock material. This step eliminates impurities that interfere with the utility of the lignin while preparing the lignin for further refinement.
• Second, the process separates the lignin into fractions divided according to the molecular weights of the individual polymers. Research has shown that molecular weight number and average, and the polydispersity index of a lignin substance directly affects its efficacy within many high-value applications. Differences in these characteristics have been correlated to differences in the type and number of functional groups on the lignin polymer. These groups affect the mechanical properties of the lignin and its ability to participate in a wide variety of reactions. The uniformity and purity of lignin substances produced through LIFT make them ideal candidates for use within foams, resins, adhesives, plastics, carbon fibers, dispersants, bio-chemicals and fuels, and other bio-technologies.
Category: Fuels
