Odour-free lignin will be developed at LignoCity

Publicerat 16 March, 2022

RISE is investing in a new test facility for odour reduction of the forest raw material lignin. The investment is expected to open up new markets for lignin products, such as replacements for fossil raw materials in plastics.

Lignin, the forest’s natural adhesive, is a by-product from the pulp and paper industry with great potential for application in several different product areas, but the smell of lignin has so far been a challenge. Hopefully this will soon change thanks to an investment project from RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden, that will be opening a unique test facility to produce odour-free kraft lignin.

– We believe that this facility will open new markets for lignin products where it has not been an option to use lignin before, due to the odour, enabling it for use in consumer products and indoor applications, says Anders Arkell, researcher at RISE and project manager for the investment project.

High interest of odour-free lignin

This technology has already raised great interest from the pulp and paper industry. Both from those who are interested in the odour-free lignin product in various applications and from equipment suppliers, says Anders Arkell.

Valmet, involved in the process development of odour-free lignin from the start, are very positive about the investment and realization of the project.

– Our technology for reducing odour from lignin has previously been verified in lab and pilot scale and the next natural step is upscaling to demo scale. We are very happy about this opportunity and to do this together with RISE. We see many benefits of this investment being done in Bäckhammar in collaboration with LignoCity, says Hanna Karlsson, Manager, Ash & LignoBoost Technology at Valmet.

An addition to LignoCity

The new test facility will be placed in LignoCity, which has long experience in separation and purification of lignin from black liquor from pulp mills.

The investment is part of RISE’s government assignment to modernize and complement existing test and development environments within biorefinery. The goal is to stimulate the commercialization of new technologies, products, and services in the transition to a circular bio-based economy.