A new source of lignin has been developed that produces a consistent quality for commercial quantities. It’s helping spur a push to reexamine the chemical process used to make adhesives and sealants, and the result could be a greener, more cost-effective alternative to synthetic elastomers and petrochemicals.
The use of lignin gained momentum last year, when a state-of-the-art, commercial-scale lignin separation plant was successfully installed in Plymouth, N.C.—the first U.S. facility of its type in more than 25 years. The project has so much potential that the Biomass Research and Development Initiative awarded a federal grant to the facility.