Specification and validation of the process for industrial production of aminated lignin: green polyol for rigid polyurethane foams

• Grant number: 24/11923-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Lara Tavares dos Santos
• Grantee: Lara Tavares dos Santos
• Company: Entropic Solutions - Tecnologias a Partir de Biomassa Ltda
• CNAE: Fabricação de produtos químicos orgânicos não especificados anteriormente ; Fabricação de artefatos de material plástico não especificados anteriormente
• Associated research grant: 19/20696-6 - Development of rigid polyurethane foam from kraft lignin and renewable source chain extenders: application as a thermal insulator, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/04035-0 - Method determination for amine quantification and optimization of solid/liquid phase separation process in the synthesis of aminated lignin, BP.TT

Abstract

Through PIPE projects (I and II), Entropic Solutions developed a polyol from raw materials of renewable resources, with reliable and validated properties for application in rigid polyurethane foam for thermal insulation. Among the components of this green polyol, modified lignin plays crucial roles in rigid foam, adding properties required for application as thermal insulator. However, modified lignin is the only component of the formulation without an active industrial production process. In this way, from the capture of private investment and supplementation through this PIPE INVEST project, Entropic Solutions will specify and validate a process for the industrial production of modified lignin, carrying out the scaling of production processes from pilot batches, already carried out by the company, for validated industrial batches, regarding the production process and the properties of the modified lignin. The execution of this project will allow overcoming technological challenges related to the precise characterization of the modified lignin structure and the establishment of a competitive industrial production process. Concomitantly with scientific and technological development, applications will be developed with modified lignin, as a partial replacement for polyols of fossil origin, as well as a 100% renewable polyol component. The industrial-scale production of modified lignin marks a new era in the revaluation of biomass, such as lignin, generating a product with constant, reproducible properties and high added value. (AU)