Project description
Sustainable production of phenolic resins based on lignin
Phenol-formaldehyde resins are versatile synthetic polymers, with a wide range of industrial applications ranging from vehicle component production to furniture manufacture. However, the raw materials for manufacturing these resins are fossil-based. The EU-funded VIOBOND project will create the first commercially viable resin plant, producing phenolic resins that will partially substitute the fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde with lignin-derived raw materials. This flagship plant will produce around 45 000 tonnes of resin per year that could be used for plywood furniture and coating, sandpaper adhesives and glass wool thermal insulation binders. The project will demonstrate the efficacy of the resin production process and a business model for valorising and transforming lignin in Europe.
Objective
The VIOBOND project will build a first-of-its-kind flagship plant producing industrial-scale lignin phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resins. The VIOBOND consortium combines extensive interdisciplinary experience in a full value-chain from fractionating wood-based biorefinery lignin to manufacturing several types of LPF resin for different purposes. The main commercial end-use is conventional plywood panels where lignin substitutes fossil-origin and hazardous phenol and formaldehyde in resin. Also, special LPF resins to be used in consumer products such as plywood coating, white furniture plywood, sandpaper adhesive and insulation glass wool binder are validated and produced in the flagship plant.
The main impact of the VIOBOND project is that it creates the first commercially viable resin plant where lignin partially substitutes fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde. The VIOBOND flagship project demonstrates a business model for valorisation and transformation of lignin in Europe while also demonstrating scale-up and exploitation of the lignin-agnostic lignin-resin technologies for Southern Europe and globally for areas where there are not any wood-based pulp plants or biorefineries, thereby creating demand and supply ecosystem for bio-based lignin and resin.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.4. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology
- H2020-EU.3.2.6. - Bio-based Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBI-JTI)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
1004 Riga
Latvia