The present disclosure relates to a method for the production of precursor fiber for the production of carbon fiber, comprising the steps: a) a) forming a spinning dope comprising a dissolving pulp, a lignin and an alkali metal hydroxide dissolved in water (s201); 5 b) extruding the spinning dope through a spinning nozzle to provide a fibrous extrudate (s203); and c) passing the fibrous extrudate through a coagulation liquid to provide the precursor fiber (s205); wherein the coagulation liquid is arranged to effect precipitation of the precursor fiber by regulation of pH and/or ionicity. The disclosure further relates to precursor fibers and carbon fibers produced by the method above, as well as spinning dopes used in the method.

A solid polymer blend material comprising: (i) a lignin-acrylonitrile component containing a homogeneous blend of a lignin component and an acrylonitrile-containing rubber component; and (ii) a styrene-containing thermoplastic component that is non-elastomeric; wherein components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer blend material. Methods for producing the blend material are also described. Methods for producing objects made of the blend material by melt extrusion are also described, comprising: (a) melt blending components (i) and (ii) to form a polymer blend in which components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously blended, wherein the polymer blend exhibits a melt viscosity of no more than 2000 Pa.Math.s at a shear rate of 100-1000 s.sup.−1 and when heated to a temperature of no more than 240° C.; and (b) forming an object made of said polymer blend material.

A method for making a multi-part resin system includes forming a lignin-formaldehyde resin, forming a phenol-formaldehyde resin, and mixing the lignin-formaldehyde resin and the phenol-formaldehyde to form the multi-part resin system.

A method for producing a partially hydrolysed lignocellulosic material is provided including treating a lignocellulosic material with an acid and/or an alkali and then a polyol. Also provided are methods of producing a fermentable sugar, or a fermentable sugar and a fermentation product from said partially hydrolysed lignocellulosic material. A partially hydrolysed lignocellulosic material, a fermentable sugar, and fermentation product produced by such methods are also provided. Also provided is an apparatus for producing a partially hydrolysed lignocellulosic material, such as by the aforementioned method.

A wood-derived lignin composition is disclosed. The wood-derived lignin composition comprises: - acid-insoluble lignin in an amount of 80 - 90 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the lignin composition, wherein the average molecular weight of the lignin is 5000 - 15000 Da; -carbohydrates in an amount of 1.5 - 15 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the lignin composition; - nitrogen in an amount of 0.2 - 1.5 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the lignin composition; and wherein weight ratio of oxygen to carbon is at least 0.5 Further is disclosed a method for producing the wood-derived lignin composition.

The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a carbon-silicon composite material powder, comprising: providing a carbon-containing precursor, which is lignin; providing at least one silicon-containing active material; melt-mixing at least said carbon-containing precursor and said silicon-containing active material(s) to a melt-mixture; providing said melt-mixture in a non-fibrous form and cooling the melt- mixture to provide an isotropic intermediate composite material; subjecting said isotropic intermediate composite material to a thermal treatment, wherein said thermal treatment comprises a carbonization step to provide a carbon-silicon composite material, and subjecting said carbon-silicon composite material to pulverization to provide said carbon-silicon composite material powder. The present disclosure also relates to a carbon-silicon composite material powder obtainable by the method, a negative electrode for a non-aqueous secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion battery, comprising the carbon-silicon composite material powder, and use of the carbon-silicon composite material powder in a negative electrode of a non-aqueous secondary battery.

In some variations, the invention provides a process for producing a microcrystalline cellulose material, comprising: fractionating lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; chemically and/or mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form microcrystalline cellulose having an average crystallinity of at least 60%; and recovering the microcrystalline cellulose as a pharmaceutical excipient. The pharmaceutical excipient may function as an antiadherent, a binder, a coating, or a disintegrant. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical excipient further comprises a lignin-derived lubricant, glidant, sorbent, preservative, or other component. The pharmaceutical excipient may be present in a pill, tablet, capsule, powder, slurry, or other pharmaceutically effective and acceptable form.

An adhesive composition, a method for preparing the same, a reticle assembly including the same, and a method for fabricating the reticle assembly including the same are provided. The adhesive composition includes a polyphenol compound including tannic acid, a polymer including polyvinyl alcohol, and a solvent including water and alcohol.

The present invention relates to a composition and a method of preparing the composition where the composition comprising functionalized lignin having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) of at least 1,000 g/mol and a green carrier liquid comprising depolymerized functional lignin, wherein the functionalized lignin is dissolved in the green carrier liquid and wherein the amount of depolymerized functionalized lignin compounds in the composition is higher than the amount of functionalized lignin.

The present invention allows the production of nanocellulose in dry form, enabling incorporation into a wide variety of end-use applications. Some variations provide a nanocellulose-slurry dewatering system comprising: a nanocellulose slurry feed sub-system; a pre-concentration unit (e.g., a centrifuge) to remove at least a portion of the water from the nanocellulose slurry; an inlet for a dispersion/drying agent; a twin-screw extruder in flow communication with the nanocellulose slurry feed sub-system, wherein the twin-screw extruder intimately mixes the nanocellulose slurry and the dispersion/drying agent, wherein the twin-screw extruder shears the nanocellulose slurry, and wherein the twin-screw extruder is configured with one or more extruder vents to remove water from the nanocellulose slurry; and an extruder outlet for recovering a nanocellulose-dispersion concentrate. A milling device may be employed to generate a fine powder of the nanocellulose-dispersion concentrate. Methods of making and using the dewatered or dried nanocellulose are also described.