Objective
Lignin is the second most abundant natural organic polymer on earth, being the first one among those composed of aromatic units. Lignin can be a renewable source of valuable phenolic chemicals, if converted to smaller molecular units, thus representing a potential bio-based alternative to several petrochemical processes. New processes for producing high-purity kraft lignin from wood have recently become commercial and, thus, in the years to come there will be a large amount of this bio-material available for future biorefineries. Among the possible processes for lignin depolymerisation and cracking, the conversion in near-critical or supercritical water is among the most promising. A version of this reactive process is currently under investigation in a laboratory plant at Chalmers University of Technology (Chalmers), but several fundamental aspects of the process are still to be understood. This research proposal aims at integrating the activities currently carried out at Chalmers, focusing on fundamental aspects which are relevant for the process under investigation. More specifically, the proposed project aims at investigating the phase equilibria of the reacting system, composed of lignin and its derivatives, water at near-critical or supercritical conditions, co-solvents, and salts. The phase equilibrium analysis aims at providing information about the number and the nature of the phases constituting the system, depending on the operating parameters (e.g. pressure, temperature, concentration of salts). To reach this goal, the planned activities comprise the realization of a visual apparatus for measuring phase equilibrium at high-pressure and high-temperature, the measurements on samples taken from the reactor currently in use at Chalmers and on representative synthetic systems, and the development of thermodynamic modelling. The project is expected to find original results on this specific system. The project spans over a period of four years.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries forestry
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG)
Coordinator
9220 Aalborg
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.