Why Lignin materials?

Materials

Why Lignin materials?

Bio-based plastics

The technologies of RenFuel are not limited to the transportation sector. They can also be used to develop bio-based plastics and other materials traditionally made using fossil resources.

Bio-based plastics are a type of material produced from biomass rather than fossil oil.

The biomass used to produce bio-based plastics can be derived from several sources, including residual streams from forests and agricultural waste.

Because they are produced from renewable biomass rather than fossil oil and constitute potential carbon neutrality, bio-based plastics can represent a renewable alternative to virgin, and recycled, fossil-based plastic.

The demand for bio-based plastics and other biomass derived materials is increasing, while bio-based plastics still represent less than one percent of the annual production volume of plastics in total.

Bio-based plastics can be used as lightweight, technical materials with reduced carbon emissions and numerous potential applications. These materials can be used in a wide variety of market segments, such as packaging, automotive, construction and building applications.

Did you know...

Every year, nearly 370 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally, 99 percent of which is made using fossil oils. But switching to bio-based plastics makes it possible to meet the world’s growing demand for plastic without relying on fossil oils.

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million tonnes of plastic are produced globally every year

0 %

of which is made using fossil oils

Using the earth’s natural carbon cycle

Lignin has a great potential to replace fossil derived products as it possesses a number of properties that are valuable for materials applications. Lignin can be:

  • UV-stabilising
  • Antioxidative
  • Antibacterial
  • Flame resistant
  • Biodegradable

The carbon in the trees that provide the raw material for bio-based plastics is absorbed from the atmosphere while the trees grow as part of the Earth’s natural carbon cycle.
As a result, using lignin biomass in the production of bio-based plastics does not release additional CO2 in the atmosphere.

The lignin materials patented by RenFuel are advancing innovation in bio-based plastics. Our highly energy-efficient process does not require any high pressures, and turns lignin into plastic-like materials without the use of any solvents or toxic reagents.

The result is a material capable of replacing its fossil-based equivalents with a more sustainable raw material. Read more here