Researchers at Stockholm University develop new method to produce lignin-based materials

In Sweden, researchers at Stockholm University have developed a resource-efficient method to produce new lignin-based materials that can be thermally reprocessed and used to substitute thermosetting resins and adhesives.

Researchers at Stockholm University have developed a resource-efficient method to produce a material that behaves like thermosets but can be thermally reprocessed. The team used lignin as the renewable raw material in a catalyst-free reaction with a non-toxic chemical derived from ethylene glycol. Lignin is a by-product from the pulp and paper industry, where it is mainly burned to recover chemicals and heat. However, there is a strong push to use lignin as a building block for new value-added materials that serve as carbon stocks during their lifetime.