The present invention provides for a method for depolymerizing a lignin, said method comprising: (a) providing a metal catalyst, and (b) contacting a lignin to the metal catalyst, such that the metal catalyst depolymerizes at least a portion of the lignin into one or more lignin monomers.

A process for the manufacture of a functional pre-preg mat of ligno-cellulosic material is disclosed. In said process, pulp fibres are mixed with at least one functional solution including a cross-linking formulation. The cross-linking formulation has been prepared by dissolving at least one cross-linking agent in a water or alcohol based solvent at a temperature below 120 C. Pulp fibres treated with the at least one functional solution are then formed into an continuous mat. The mat of pre-preg ligno-cellulosic pulp fibres formed in the previous step is transferred to a drying step during which the temperature within the ligno-cellulosic mat is kept below 120 C. A functional pre-preg mat of ligno-cellulosic material suitable for use as raw material in a thermoforming process is also disclosed.

A process for preparing a CO.sub.2-negative polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The process includes: (a) obtaining monoethylene glycol (MEG) from a polysaccharide; (b) obtaining terephthalic acid (PTA) from a polysaccharide; and (c) reacting the monoethylene glycol obtained in step (a) with the terephthalic acid obtained in step (b) to form polyethylene terephthalate. The process utilizes polysaccharides, which can be derived from renewable sources, and may achieve a CO.sub.2-negative balance in certain examples.

A method is provided for preparing a water-insoluble lignosulfonate polymer from a first solution containing lignosulfonate precursors, which involves a) separating the lignosulfonate precursors from the first solution and providing a second solution with at least 5 wt % of lignosulfonate precursors obtained from the first solution, wherein the separating comprises filtering out components with a predefined particle diameter and separating low-molecular weight components including salts and low-molecular organic compounds, b) adding a radical-forming enzyme and gas to the second solution, wherein the gas comprises oxygen, and c) polymerizing the lignosulfonate precursors of the resultant solution of b). Other related aspects are described and claimed.

A composite resin composition is a composite resin composition including: a biodegradable resin; a biodegradable fiber dispersed in the resin; and a lubricant, in which the fiber is contained in a content of 30 mass % or more and 99 mass % or less, and the lubricant is contained in a content of 0.5 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less, with respect to 100 mass % of the composite resin composition.

The present disclosure includes lignocellulosic foams which may be used, for example, in insulation as well as methods for their preparation. For example, the methods of preparing a foam may comprise: foaming an aqueous suspension comprising microfibrillated lignocellulose and a foaming agent to obtain a wet foam; and drying the wet foam to obtain the foam.

A novel water-based superhydrophobic, flame-retardant, and recyclable PU film was prepared using lignin and PU water emulsion. In two different pathways. KL was utilized to generate a superhydrophobic and flame-retardant material (WL) and a dispersant (SL) for PU formulation.

The invention relates in general to working or preserving a plant-fibre material, such as a wood-like material, and processing said material, such as in a plastic state in general, and may likewise be considered to be a technology of managing solid or solid-like waste materials, the waste materials comprising plant-fibre material.

In on example, a method of plasticizing at least a portion of lignin within a lignocellulosic biomass by mixing the biomass with anhydrous ammonia at a sub-ambient temperature and continuously conveying the mixture of lignocellulosic biomass and anhydrous ammonia through a reactor. At least a portion of the anhydrous ammonia is removed from the mixture. The lignocellulosic biomass having plasticized lignin is molded into a repeated shape.