The present invention is directed to a process to produce agglomerated lignin with a controlled particle size distribution. The agglomerated lignin is essentially free of dust so that the risk of dust explosion is greatly reduced.

The invention relates to an aqueous emulsion of a hydrophobic anhydride-based sizing agent, prepared by homogenizing the said anhydride-based sizing agent in an aqueous phase which comprises a stabilizer, which is an anionic lignin-carbohydrate complex, where lignin and carbohydrate are covalently bound with each other. The invention further relates to a use of this anionic lignin-carbohydrate complex as a stabilizer as well as to a method for making an aqueous emulsion of a hydrophobic anhydride-based sizing agent.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing an oxidised lignin based high performance surface active agent in techno-economically feasible manner within kraft pulp mill without interfering the main process.

A method for producing a polyphenol derivative, including reacting a polyphenol-containing composition and an aromatic compound having an ortho-para directionality in a solvent, a polyphenol derivative produced by the method for producing a polyphenol derivative, and a polyphenol derivative-containing resin composition material containing the polyphenol derivative.

Processes for treating highly viscous hydrocarbons, such as bitumen from oil sands or petroleum residues, with hydrogen-donor solvents are described. The hydrogen-donor solvent is prepared. A mixture of the hydrocarbon and the hydrogen-donor solvent is heated, and the product is cooled to produce a low viscosity and mildly upgraded hydrocarbon. The hydrogen-donor solvent can be modified to improve its solvent usefulness.

Lignin gel-based electrolyte is disclosed. The lignin gel-based electrolyte includes a lignin polymer network containing lignin molecules and a crosslinking agent to crosslink the lignin molecules; and liquid electrolyte contained within the lignin polymer network. The lignin gel-based electrolyte may have high ionic conductivity and maintain excellent mechanical stability.

The present invention relates to a process to manufacture lignin-based polyols (LBP) by ring opening polymerization (ROP) of oxiranes in the presence of lignin and in an organic solvent or mixture thereof using acidic catalysts. The LBP are suitable to manufacture polyurethanes, polycarbonates and polyesters.

Provided is a humic acid-based coating suspension comprising humic acid, particles of an anti-corrosive pigment or sacrificial metal, and a binder resin dissolved or dispersed in a liquid medium, wherein the humic acid has a weight fraction from 0.1% to 50% based on the total coating suspension weight excluding the liquid medium. Also provided is an object or structure coated at least in part with such a coating.

A method and apparatus for enzymatic hydrolysis where a plant based feed is hydrolysed using an enzyme to form a hydrolysed product. An additive for preventing enzyme adsorption is fed to an enzymatic hydrolysis stage, the plant based feed, the hydrolysed product, a starting material, and/or a plant based material formed from the starting material. The hydrolysed product is supplied from the enzymatic hydrolysis stage to a first solid-liquid separation stage where a lignin fraction comprising the additive and a liquid composition comprising the enzyme are separated. The liquid composition is mixed with the plant based material in a mixing stage, forming a mixture. A solid and liquid fraction are separated from the mixture in a second solid-liquid separation stage. At least part of the solid fraction comprising the enzyme is fed as the plant based feed to the enzymatic hydrolysis stage.

The present invention relates to a method of producing lignin with reduced amount of guaiacoland etylguaiacol in order to reduce the content of odorous substances by subjecting the ligninto a heating processing order to remove guaiacol.