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, a first monomer, and a second monomer, wherein the first monomer comprises formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural, glyoxal, acetaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, acrolein, levulinate esters, sugars, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, 2,5-furandicarboxylic aldehyde, urea, difurfural (DFF), or mixtures thereof, and the second monomer comprises 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.

Methods of forming lignin prepolymers are provided. In an embodiment, such a method comprises adding an acid to an ozonized reaction mixture, the ozonized reaction mixture comprising ozonized lignin having a backbone, and aromatic monomers cleaved from a lignin, under conditions to react the cleaved aromatic monomers with the backbone of the ozonized lignin to form a lignin prepolymer. The methods may further comprise using the lignin prepolymer to form a lignin resin.

A method for making a composite product can include combining a plurality of lignocellulose substrates and a binder to produce a resinated furnish. The binder can be or include a polyphenolic compound, a free radical precursor, and an unsaturated compound having two or more unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds. At least one of the unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds is a pi-bond that is not conjugated with an aromatic moiety and is capable of free radical addition. The method can also include pressing the resinated furnish between at least two surfaces in a press, where at least one of the at least two surfaces can be a porous surface, and at least partially curing the binder in the resinated furnish to produce a composite product.

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 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 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 invention provides a method for depolymerising a phenolic polymer, the method comprising reacting the phenolic polymer with dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) and a hydrogen halide. The phenolic polymer may be selected from the group consisting of lignin and derivatives thereof. The hydrogen halide may be HBr. The quantity of hydrogen halide per gram of phenolic polymer may be from 30 mmoles to 70 mmoles. The quantity of DMSO per gram of phenolic polymer may be from 0.1 mole to 1 mole. The reaction may be performed at a temperature of from 100 to 120 C. The reaction may be carried out for between 10 h and 14 h. The product of the reaction may comprise vanillin.

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 discloses a process for depolymerization of lignin to yield substituted phenolic monomers using Brnsted ionic liquid as catalyst under mild reaction conditions to obtain an overall yield of monomers up to 97%.

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.