The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin which method comprises the following steps; providing a mixture comprising lignin and an alkali solution wherein the concentration of the alkali solution of the mixture is between 5-50% by weight, storing said mixture for a period of at least 1 day whereby the reactivity of the lignin is increased. The present invention also relates to a resin composition comprising said lignin and use of said resin composition.

Described is a process for producing lignin particles in the context of a continuous process, including a particle-free lignin-containing solution and a precipitation agent are combined in a mixing apparatus and subsequently passed out of the mixing apparatus again, wherein a mixing efficiency of the lignin-containing solution with the precipitation agent of at least 90% and a precipitation of lignin particles are achieved to form a suspension of lignin particles, and the residence time in the mixing apparatus does not exceed a duration of 30 seconds.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a bonding resin, wherein a resin prepared from lignin, phenol and formaldehyde and comprising a formaldehyde scavenger, is mixed with a resin prepared from phenol and formaldehyde and comprising a formaldehyde scavenger to achieve a mixture useful as a bonding resin useful in the manufacture of oriented strand board (OSB).

A method of fabricating a cork composite material and a cork composite material. The method may comprise providing a plurality of cork particles in a volume and adding a dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer to the volume to provide a mixture of the dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles. The method may comprise agitating the cork particles and/or the mixture of the dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles and heating the mixture of the thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles. The method may comprise allowing the mixture of the thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles to cool. The steps of the method together may result in a plurality of coated cork particles being coated in a first layer of the thermoplastic elastomer.

The invention relates to acetoacetylated lignin resin compositions comprising the reaction product of lignin and an acetoacetate ester. The invention also relates to (meth)acrylated lignin resin compositions comprising the reaction product of lignin and a (meth)acrylic compound. The invention also relates to methods of making the acetoacetylated and (meth)acrylated lignin resin compositions. The invention also relates to curable coating compositions comprising the acetoacetylated and (meth)acrylated lignin resin compositions. The invention also relates to methods of making the curable coating compositions of the invention. The invention also relates to methods of applying curable coating compositions of the invention to substrates. The invention also relates to articles of manufacture comprising a curable coating composition of the invention and a method of making such article. The invention also relates to foam materials comprising the reaction product of an acetoacetylated resin composition, a polyamine compound, and a physical blowing agent and/or a polysiloxane compound.

The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a lignin-derived mixture that includes at least one of a dimer, a trimer, and/or a tetramer, where the composition is characterized by a thermal stability up to a maximum temperature between about 260° C. and about 300° C.

An organic-inorganic hybrid material is disclosed comprising a metal compound and a lignin fraction, as well as processes for preparing the same and uses as an antimicrobial agent in agriculture, and in human and animal food industry.

The present invention relates to a thermosetting binder composition containing water and a water-soluble oligomeric ester of at least one saccharide chosen from reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars and hydrogenated sugars, the hydrogenated sugars being chosen from the group consisting of erythritol, arabitol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, iditol, maltitol, isomaltitol, lactitol, cellobitol, palatinitol, maltotritol and hydrogenation products of hydrolyzates of starch or of lignocellulose materials, and of at least one polycarboxylic acid, the binder composition having a dry matter content of between 50% and 80% by weight, the water-soluble oligomeric ester representing at least 80% by weight, preferably at least 90% by weight, of the cry matter content of the thermosetting binder composition, and the thermosetting binder composition containing less than 10% by weight, preferably less than 5% by weight, with respect to its dry matter content, of free sorbitol.

It also relates to the use of such a binder composition for the manufacture of a product based on mineral or organic fibers which are bonded by an insoluble organic binder.

A composition comprises phenolic polymer particles and a surfactant, on the phenolic polymer particles. The composition is lipophilic. A dispersion comprises the phenolic polymer particles, the surfactant, and a carrier vehicle. The carrier vehicle may be a cosmetically-acceptable fluid or a wax that is lipophilic.

A lignin dispersion composition comprising spherical lignin particles dispersed in an aqueous medium, wherein the spherical lignin particles have a size exclusively within a range of 100 nm to 5 microns. Also described herein is a method of producing the lignin dispersion, by: (i) dissolving lignin in an organic solvent substantially devoid of water yet miscible with water to result in a solution of the lignin in the organic solvent; and (ii) producing the lignin dispersion by dialyzing the solution of the lignin with water until substantially all of the organic solvent is replaced with water with simultaneous formation of spherical lignin particles dispersed in the water. Also described herein is a method for stabilizing an emulsion by intimately mixing the emulsion with the lignin dispersion. Also described herein is a hierarchical assembly of porous microparticles produced by mixing the lignin dispersion with an emulsion and an amphiphilic block copolymer.