Provided herein are materials comprising a crosslinked polymer and a hydrophobic starch, wherein the crosslinked polymer comprises a first polymer and a second polymer and the first polymer comprises a lignin polymer or a salt thereof, and methods of use and preparation thereof.

This application provides a method of using a highly clarified and clean lignin, derived from a specific biorefinery process to make a starch foam and products of the same. The lignin can be used as a low cost filler substitute for starch and other substrates that are currently employed in foam applications. The lignin has the right mechanical, physical, thermoplastic and barrier properties to enable easy handling and to impart improved properties such as UV resistance, water resistance and other physical parameters to starch foams.

A polymer-nanocellulose-lignin composite as disclosed comprises a polymer, nanocellulose, and lignin, wherein lignin forms a hydrophobic interface between the polymer and the nanocellulose. In some variations, a process is disclosed for producing a polymer-nanocellulose-lignin composite material, comprising: fractionating lignocellulosic biomass in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin, wherein lignin deposits onto fiber surfaces or into fiber pores; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form a hydrophobic nanocellulose material comprising cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose to generate fermentable hemicellulosic sugars; fermenting the fermentable hemicellulosic sugars to generate a monomer or monomer precursor; polymerizing the monomer to produce a polymer; and combining the polymer with the lignin-coated nanocellulose to generate a polymer-nanocellulose-lignin composite material for use in a wide variety of products.

A bio-polyol composition and a bio-polyurethane foam are provided. The bio-polyol composition includes polyol, a surface-modified lignin, and a surfactant represented by formula 1.

##STR00001## wherein R is represented by C.sub.nH.sub.2n+1, n is an integer of 0 to 3; x/y is between 5 and 13; a is an integer of 1 to 100; b is an integer of 1 to 100.

In some variations, the present invention provides an oil-resistant paperboard material coated with hydrophobic nanocellulose. The paperboard material is free of a fluorocarbon coating. In other variations, an oil-resistant paper is coated with hydrophobic nanocellulose and is free of a fluorocarbon coating. The hydrophobic nanocellulose may include lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils, lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals, or a combination thereof. A process for producing these materials is also provided, comprising: fractionating a 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, wherein a portion of the lignin deposits onto a surface of the cellulose-rich solids, thereby rendering the cellulose-rich solids at least partially hydrophobic; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form hydrophobic nanocellulose; and coating a paper or paperboard material with the hydrophobic nanocellulose, to generate an oil-resistant paper or paperboard material.

Novel composite materials are provided consisting of a substrate based on fibers of natural, mineral or vegetable origin, and of a mixture formed from a matrix of water-based resin and an expanding agent. The nature and the proportions of the various elements constituting these novel composite materials is also provided. A method of manufacture for making these novel composite materials starting from the constituent elements and the characteristics of the different steps of said method is also provided.

The present invention relates to a foam formed solid composite, comprising: a matrix phase consisting of a mixture of nanocellulose, at least one foaming agent, and optional additives, and a dispersed phase consisting of solid low-density particles having a density of less than 1.2 kg/dm.sup.3. The present invention further relates to a method and a liquid foam composition for manufacturing the solid composite.

The present invention provides compositions for use in making biodegradable biodegradable composite, and biodegradable composite comprising polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT)-component; hemp powder; and optionally one or more compatibilizers and/or PBAT grafted with one or more compatibilizers selected from maleic anhydride, glycidyl methacrylate, pyromellitic anhydride, acrylic acid, polyacrylic acid, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, poly(glycidyl methacrylate, copolymer(s) of glycidyl methacrylate and/or copolymers of acrylic acid. The invention also relates to methods of preparing the composites.

A polymer blend material comprising the following components: (i) a lignin component; (ii) a nitrile butadiene rubber component; and (iii) a filler component comprising ceramic particles and/or carbon particles having an average primary particle size of 1-100 nm, wherein component (iii) is present in an amount of 0.1-10 wt % by weight of components (i) and (ii); wherein component (i) is present in an amount of about 5 wt % to about 95 wt % by weight of components (i) and (ii), and wherein the blend material may optionally include a PAN-containing homopolymer or copolymer as an additional component. Methods for producing the polymer blend, molded forms thereof, and articles thereof, are also described. Methods for bonding surfaces together by use of the polymer blend are also described.

The present invention related to a fiber mat reinforced resin composite comprising a reinforcing constituent of fibers in the form of at least one mat embedded within a resin matrix. The invention further relates to a method for the production of a fiber mat reinforced resin composite.