International. Fraunhofer scientists have created an alternative to the petrochemical industry by processing lignin, which is renewable, eco-friendly and available almost without limit.
In the development of alternatives to petrochemical substances, lignin has often attracted the attention of scientists. Due to its challenging properties, however, such efforts with mechanical wood pulp have not prevailed until now. For example, the exact chemical composition of lignin mass depends on whether it comes from paper production and is mixed with other substances or whether it is a by-product of biofuel.
Consequently, the production of a substance that always has a similar reaction is very complex. "Most of the previous approaches were based on the production of monomeric lignin starting materials, which always have the same properties. Due to the different composition of the starting material, this is quite complex," explains Yvonne Wilke of Fraunhofer IFAM.
"We take a different approach by standardizing and modifying the entire substance. This gives us a raw material that we can say is always the same within certain limits."
Fraunhofer IFAM experts further transformed the standardized mixture and used it as a raw material for binders for primer formulations. The result is a primer that has key properties such as corrosion protection, adhesion or applicability comparable to petrochemical-based primers.
At a time when the demand from both manufacturers and end customers for sustainable products is becoming stronger and stronger, bio-based solutions are becoming increasingly interesting. In the automotive industry, for example, the carbon footprint is an important selling point through the use of bio-based primers and paints, this can be significantly improved. The lignin-based initiator of the Fraunhofer IFAM has properties comparable to those of conventional primers, no compromise should be made in terms of quality
"Fossil fuel independence is a tremendous goal, especially when you consider the number of products that are still fossil fuel-based," Wilke says.
"With our project, we have been able to take some steps in the right direction and demonstrate that lignin is a real alternative in the manufacture of primers and adhesives, and that it brings us closer to the independence of petrochemicals."
Source: Fraunhofer.
