The present invention relates to water-soluble modified lignins preparable by enzymatic reaction of at least one water-insoluble lignin with at least one organic compound which possesses at least one group selected from primary or secondary amino group, hydroxyl group and phenyl group and has an average molecular weight in the range from 75 to 2500 g/mol. The water-soluble modified lignins are preparable under mild conditions in a simple process. They can be used as dispersants for mineral binder compositions, where they act as plasticizers and in so doing prolong the setting time to much less of an extent than the water-insoluble lignins used in their preparation.

A method of making a carbon fiber comprising esterification of a lignin precursor with an acid, acid anhydride, or acyl halide, thereby forming a reduced T.sub.g lignin. Mixing the reduced T.sub.g lignin with a carbon residue selected from the group of coal based raw material, petroleum based raw material and combinations thereof, thereby forming a fiber precursor mixture; and spinning the fiber precursor mixture into a fiber. A method of making a carbon fiber comprising esterification of a lignin with an acid derivative, thereby forming a reduced T.sub.g lignin. Mixing the reduced T.sub.g lignin with a pitch, thereby forming a fiber precursor mixture; and spinning the fiber precursor mixture into a fiber. A method of making a carbon fiber comprising lowering the T.sub.g of a lignin material, thereby forming a reduced T.sub.g lignin. Mixing the reduced T.sub.g lignin with a carbon residue, thereby forming a fiber precursor mixture and spinning the fiber precursor mixture into a fiber.

A lignin derivative that is extracted from biomass and is used for rubber reinforcement or for use in a molding material is provided. Such a lignin derivative has a number average molecular weight of 300 to 2,000, and contains a component that is soluble in a polar organic solvent, in an amount of 80% by mass or more. When such a lignin derivative is incorporated, a lignin resin composition, a rubber composition, or a molding material, all of which have excellent low hysteresis loss characteristics, elastic modulus, or tensile properties, can be obtained. Furthermore, when a component that is thermofusible is used as the soluble component, a lignin resin composition, a rubber composition, or a molding material, all of which have superior aforementioned characteristics, can be obtained.

The present invention relates to a process for the extraction of valuable components from a tannin-rich bark raw-material, by carrying out an alkaline cooking step, followed by acid precipitation to separate the valuable components from the remaining bark pulp. The invention also relates to the use of said process on a bark side stream of a chemical pulping plant, whereby the liquor remaining after the extraction of the present process is returned to a stream of the wood pulping process, typically to a black liquor stream, while the spent pulp can be processed further, e.g. by bleaching to give dissolved pulp.

The present invention relates to an improved process for preparing an aqueous dispersion of lignin and the use of said suspension in the preparation of a resin.

The present invention pertains among others to a method of preparing a biomass mash from a biomass comprising lignin. The invention also pertains to a biomass mash comprising reduced viscosity.

The method for producing a resin composition of the present invention includes a step of obtaining a lignin-containing solution that contains a solubilized lignin prepared through a treatment of separating lignin in a lignin-containing solution and a solvent, and a step of adding a resin to the lignin-containing solution to thereby obtain a lignin/resin-containing solution. Also, the method for producing a resin composition of the present invention includes a step of mixing the lignin/resin-containing solution with at least one solvent selected from water and a hydrocarbon having a dipole moment of 0.25 d or less. The lignin-containing resin molded article of the present invention uses the resin composition obtained according to the production method of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a method of growing plants in a coherent growth substrate product, the method comprising: providing at least one coherent growth substrate product comprising man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition free of phenol and formaldehyde; positioning one or more seeds, seedlings, cuttings or plants in contact with the growth substrate product; irrigating the growth substrate product;

wherein the aqueous binder composition prior to curing comprises; a component (i) in form of one or more lignosulfonate lignins having a carboxylic acid group content of 0.03 to 1.4 mmol/g, based on the dry weight of the lignosulfonate lignins, a component (ii) in form of one or more cross-linkers.

The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 30-70° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.

The use of a lignin fraction as an anti-phytopathogenic agent, anti-phytopathogenic compositions comprising the same, as well as methods of protecting plants against phytopathogens, are disclosed.