Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VIOBOND (VIOBOND – sustainable binder: Upscaling new lignin-phenol-formaldehyde resin production with wood-based biorefinery lignin)
Période du rapport: 2021-09-01 au 2023-02-28
The project builds a first-of-its-kind 45,000 t/a flagship plant producing industrial-scale lignin phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resins where lignin partially substitutes fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde, providing valorisation and scaling up the use of lignin, reducing lignin-rich streams and increasing value of lignin at least five-fold compared to the current use of heating energy. 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. VIOBOND flagship plant uses lignin from biorefinery side-streams, from sawdust-based ethanol production, and validates the use of waste from plywood production.
The main commercial end-use is conventional plywood panels where lignin substitutes fossil-origin and hazardous phenol and formaldehyde in resin. 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.
The project also has positive environmental and social impacts as lignin-based resins can be produced with fewer emissions and less waste, reducing dependence of synthetic materials. It will reduce GHG emissions by replacing fossil-based chemicals and materials. The production of the LPF resin in the flagship plant could avoid potentially over 118 000 t CO2 per year when the whole value-chain is considered. Moreover, lignin-rich streams going to lower-value uses will be reduced approx. 30% compared to state-of-the-art. Moreover, VIOBOND, by focusing on the upcycling of sustainable lignin sources into LPF, could decisively contribute to creating a circular economy industry and to boosting in the bio-economy and natural carbon sinks building blocks.
VIOBOND project creates new consumer products from lignin, substantially increasing the value of lignin and thus improving the business cases for both resin producers and biorefineries. The more detailed overall objectives of the project are related to the constructing a novel commercially viable, first-of-its-kind lignin phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resin plant on a large scale and operate it successfully, resin application, and environmental and sustainability objectives. VIOBOND project aims to demonstrate that the new LPF plywood resin results in higher quality plywood or enable to use of cheaper wood veneer than conventional plywood processes and that novel LPF specialty resins can be used in consumer products that meet the identified application market demands at competitive price.
The main commercial end-use is conventional plywood panels where lignin substitutes fossil-origin and hazardous phenol and formaldehyde in resin. 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.
The project also has positive environmental and social impacts as lignin-based resins can be produced with fewer emissions and less waste, reducing dependence of synthetic materials. It will reduce GHG emissions by replacing fossil-based chemicals and materials. The production of the LPF resin in the flagship plant could avoid potentially over 118 000 t CO2 per year when the whole value-chain is considered. Moreover, lignin-rich streams going to lower-value uses will be reduced approx. 30% compared to state-of-the-art. Moreover, VIOBOND, by focusing on the upcycling of sustainable lignin sources into LPF, could decisively contribute to creating a circular economy industry and to boosting in the bio-economy and natural carbon sinks building blocks.
VIOBOND project creates new consumer products from lignin, substantially increasing the value of lignin and thus improving the business cases for both resin producers and biorefineries. The more detailed overall objectives of the project are related to the constructing a novel commercially viable, first-of-its-kind lignin phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resin plant on a large scale and operate it successfully, resin application, and environmental and sustainability objectives. VIOBOND project aims to demonstrate that the new LPF plywood resin results in higher quality plywood or enable to use of cheaper wood veneer than conventional plywood processes and that novel LPF specialty resins can be used in consumer products that meet the identified application market demands at competitive price.
The conclusions and insights obtained in during Reporting Period 1 were successfully applied in the development of a large-scale resin factory concept, which will serve as the basis for starting work on the development of the Flagship resin plant technical details. By the end of Reporting Period one, Pörner completed the basic engineering of the flagship plant. The detailed plant design as well as the layout are currently in progress.
In parallel, the suitability of lignin for flagship purposes was evaluated at three levels. First, the basic properties of commercial kraft lignin and several lignins from each lignin provider partner (St1, Fibenol and Chempolis) were analysed by LSIWC. St1 provided crude softwood lignin samples that was produced at Cellunolix® Demo Plant in Kajaani, Finland. Chempolis delivered samples that were produced at Chempolis’ Demo facilities from wheat straw and bamboo. Fibenol supplied crude and refined lignin samples that were produced from birch at Imavere flagship plant.
LSIWC has modelled the potential behaviour of lignins in the resin production. Based on the analysis, the most relevant analyses were selected and methods to measure these properties were developed. Next, Latvijas Finieris made resins mixtures with different raw materials compositions, lignin concentrations, charging ways, temperature, pH etc. to find out which lignins and lignin procedures are suitable for resins. This way the model forecasting lignin’s behaviour in the resins could be validated. The achieved results show that the average degree of substitution of fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde with lignin is about 50-70%.
Mirka tested lignin from Chempolis, Fibenol and St1 as an additive in a standard phenolic resin formulation for abrasives. The results showed that using lignin as a filler is not a feasible option for Mirka. The VIOBOND resins worked relatively well for coating abrasive material. Saint-Gobain has done preliminary analysing of the properties required for LPF resins in mineral wool manufacturing process.
UVic-UCC started to perform Sustainability Assessment and an LCA study on the whole VIOBOND value-chain to demonstrate the increased sustainability and circularity of VIOBOND products compared with their fossil-based counterparts and optimize and propose mitigation and improvement measures using an iterative eco-design approach.
In parallel, the suitability of lignin for flagship purposes was evaluated at three levels. First, the basic properties of commercial kraft lignin and several lignins from each lignin provider partner (St1, Fibenol and Chempolis) were analysed by LSIWC. St1 provided crude softwood lignin samples that was produced at Cellunolix® Demo Plant in Kajaani, Finland. Chempolis delivered samples that were produced at Chempolis’ Demo facilities from wheat straw and bamboo. Fibenol supplied crude and refined lignin samples that were produced from birch at Imavere flagship plant.
LSIWC has modelled the potential behaviour of lignins in the resin production. Based on the analysis, the most relevant analyses were selected and methods to measure these properties were developed. Next, Latvijas Finieris made resins mixtures with different raw materials compositions, lignin concentrations, charging ways, temperature, pH etc. to find out which lignins and lignin procedures are suitable for resins. This way the model forecasting lignin’s behaviour in the resins could be validated. The achieved results show that the average degree of substitution of fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde with lignin is about 50-70%.
Mirka tested lignin from Chempolis, Fibenol and St1 as an additive in a standard phenolic resin formulation for abrasives. The results showed that using lignin as a filler is not a feasible option for Mirka. The VIOBOND resins worked relatively well for coating abrasive material. Saint-Gobain has done preliminary analysing of the properties required for LPF resins in mineral wool manufacturing process.
UVic-UCC started to perform Sustainability Assessment and an LCA study on the whole VIOBOND value-chain to demonstrate the increased sustainability and circularity of VIOBOND products compared with their fossil-based counterparts and optimize and propose mitigation and improvement measures using an iterative eco-design approach.
The current state-of-the-art resins involve fossil-origin production routes, presenting harmful health effects. Alternative solutions are limited, as lignin is not yet considered as a feedstock efficient enough for industrial applications.
In the VIOBOND project, lignin from St1, Fibenol and Chempolis operations have been delivered and characterized in LSIWC, as well as compared with commercial Kraft lignin. Up to now, a wood-based, both hardwood and softwood, as well as wheat straw lignin have been studied. The results show that refinery lignins obtained from different raw materials and conditions have different impurities and form with low potential reactivity. In the state-of-the-art, lignin has conventionally considered having a low reactivity due to its high molecular weight and functionality. Moreover, Lignin solubility tests approved that most of crude refinery lignins do not form solution with anticipated viscosity to be further used in lignin resin production.
VIOBOND approach is to aim a lignin agnostic process and use all kinds of lignin from different fractionation processes. The main interest is to concentrate on sustainable biorefinery lignin since biorefineries are considered the best lignin source in quantities and qualities. VIOBOND demonstrates both softwood and hardwood residues in novel LPF resin process.
The economic impacts include increasing the value of lignin and demonstrating an effective and efficient business model for lignin transformation. Valorisation of lower value residual hardwood creates new business and jobs in the forestry sector that is exclusively based in rural areas. The VIOBOND project increases the competitiveness by 1) using residual streams of biomass producers and biorefineries, 2) increasing growth by lignin valorisation and demand creation in high-end applications, and 3) enabling further investments in biomass production, biorefineries and lignin-derived resin, while replacing fossil material with bio-based lignin.
In the VIOBOND project, lignin from St1, Fibenol and Chempolis operations have been delivered and characterized in LSIWC, as well as compared with commercial Kraft lignin. Up to now, a wood-based, both hardwood and softwood, as well as wheat straw lignin have been studied. The results show that refinery lignins obtained from different raw materials and conditions have different impurities and form with low potential reactivity. In the state-of-the-art, lignin has conventionally considered having a low reactivity due to its high molecular weight and functionality. Moreover, Lignin solubility tests approved that most of crude refinery lignins do not form solution with anticipated viscosity to be further used in lignin resin production.
VIOBOND approach is to aim a lignin agnostic process and use all kinds of lignin from different fractionation processes. The main interest is to concentrate on sustainable biorefinery lignin since biorefineries are considered the best lignin source in quantities and qualities. VIOBOND demonstrates both softwood and hardwood residues in novel LPF resin process.
The economic impacts include increasing the value of lignin and demonstrating an effective and efficient business model for lignin transformation. Valorisation of lower value residual hardwood creates new business and jobs in the forestry sector that is exclusively based in rural areas. The VIOBOND project increases the competitiveness by 1) using residual streams of biomass producers and biorefineries, 2) increasing growth by lignin valorisation and demand creation in high-end applications, and 3) enabling further investments in biomass production, biorefineries and lignin-derived resin, while replacing fossil material with bio-based lignin.