Alkaline aerobic depolymerization of lignin in a permeable flowthrough reactor. Methods include flowing an aqueous reaction medium that includes lignin and a base through a lumen of an oxygen-permeable channel in the presence of oxygen gas to depolymerize the lignin to aromatic monomers.

A reactant comprising one or more polymers can be subjected to multiple consecutive processing cycles. Each processing cycle can have a first period with heating applied and a second period immediately following the first period with no heating applied. A duration of each processing cycle can be less than or equal to 10 seconds, and a duration of each first period can be less than 1 second. The subjecting can be effective to convert at least some of the reactant into one or more products, for example, one or more constituent monomers or other volatile or gas-phase species. In some embodiments, a reactor can be provided between a heating source and the reactant, for example, to provide a spatio-temporal temperature profile for improved polymer processing.

The present invention discloses a fully bio-based, highly filled lignin-rubber masterbatch, a method for preparing same, and use thereof. The lignin-rubber masterbatch is prepared by a method comprising: (1) reacting a lignin, acetic acid, and oleic acid in the presence of a catalyst to give a modified lignin; and (2) blending the modified lignin and a rubber, and granulating to give the lignin-rubber masterbatch. The highly filled lignin-rubber masterbatch prepared by the present invention can replace the conventional reinforcing agent carbon black and provide a better reinforcing effect and higher mechanical properties for rubber materials. The present invention can also reduce the rubber content of the rubber composite materials while retaining the mechanical properties, thus featuring cost-efficiency.

The disclosure relates to faade system for a building, in particular an External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS), comprising a thermal and/or acoustic insulation, consisting of at least one insulation element being a bonded mineral fibre product made of mineral fibres, preferably stone wool fibres, and a cured aqueous binder composition, whereby the insulation element is fixed to an outer surface of the building by mechanical fastening elements and/or an adhesive, covered with a rendering, and whereby the aqueous binder composition prior to curing comprises a component (i) in form of one or more oxidized lignins, a component (ii) in form of one or more cross-linkers, a component (iii) in form of one or more plasticizers, and whereby the insulation element has a bulk density between 70 kg/m.sup.3 and 150 kg/m.sup.3.

Carbon fibre precursors for use in the formation of carbon fibre materials. The carbon fibre precursors comprise fibres of polymeric material which have a coating layer thereon, the coating layer comprising a material susceptible to dielectric heating, for example carbon nanotubes. The carbon fibre precursors may be suitable for forming into carbon fibres using a dielectric heating step, despite the fibres of polymeric material not being susceptible to dielectric heating, without adversely affecting the structure and physical properties of the main body of the carbon fibre so formed. A method of preparing a carbon fibre precursor for a carbon fibre formation process and a method forming a carbon fibre are also disclosed.

A polymer blend material comprising: (i) a lignin component having a weight-average molecular weight of up to 1,000,000 g/mol; and (ii) an acrylonitrile-containing copolymer rubber component comprising acrylonitrile units in combination with diene monomer units, and having an acrylonitrile content of at least 20 mol %; wherein said lignin component is present in an amount of at least 5 wt % and up to about 95 wt % by total weight of components (i) and (ii); and said polymer blend material possesses a tensile yield stress of at least 5 MPa, or a tensile stress of at least 5 MPa at 10% elongation, or a tensile stress of at least 5 MPa at 100% elongation. Methods for producing the polymer blend, molded forms thereof, and articles thereof, are also described.

Disclosed are foam compositions and processes to form closed-cell tannin-based foams. The foams comprises a continuous polymeric phase defining a plurality of cells, wherein the continuous polymeric phase comprises a tannin-based resin derived from a tannin and a monomer, wherein the monomer comprises furfural, glyoxal, acetaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, acrolein, levulinate esters, sugars, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, 2,5-furandicarboxylic aldehyde, urea, difurfural (DFF), furfuryl alcohol, glycerol, sorbitol, lignin, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the plurality of cells comprises a plurality of open-cells and a plurality of closed-cells with an open-cell content measured according to ASTM D6226-5, of less than 50%. The foam composition also comprises a discontinuous phase disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of closed-cells, the discontinuous phase comprising one or more blowing agents.

A wax composition comprising a lignin derivative wherein the derivative has a total hydroxyl content of from about 0.1 mmol/g to about 7 mmol/g.

A method of recycling a plastic product comprising PET is provided. The method comprises combining a plastic product comprising PET, a heterogeneous metal oxide catalyst and a solvent to provide a reaction mixture and heating the mixture by microwave irradiation to provide reaction product.

The present invention provides derivatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content. Surprisingly, it has been found that consistent and predictable antioxidant activity may be provided by selecting for derivatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content.