A method for treating biomass to manufacture biomass beads adapted to an implementation in a gasification method, the method comprising the following steps: a) providing a biomass powder, for example a wood bark powder, the particle size of the biomass powder preferably being less than 200 μm, b) providing an alginate solution comprising water and alginate, for example potassium alginate or sodium alginate, c) adding the biomass powder to the alginate solution and mixing, whereby a colloidal suspension is formed, d) dropwise adding the colloidal suspension to an ionotropic coagulation bath comprising multivalent ions, whereby biomass beads are formed.

Non-polymeric coupling agent formulation for producing wood-polymer composites include at least one organic peroxide and a non-polymeric bio-based additive that includes at least one of a bio-based oil or a bio-based acid or derivatives of bio-based oils or acid is provided. The coupling agent formulations are capable of producing polymer matrix composites having improved strength and aging characteristics. The improved strength may be related to physical properties such as improved stiffness, toughness or tensile strength. A masterbatch utilizing the non-polymeric coupling agent formulation is provided, as well as a method making the masterbatch.

A process for manufacturing an electrically conducting device from lignocellulosic material comprises the following steps: impregnating (S10) the lignocellulosic material with at least one filling compound so as to produce a composite substrate; and depositing (S12) at least one conducting layer on at least one surface of the composite substrate so as to produce an electrically conducting device.
Use of an electrically conducting device so produced for example particularly as a touch interface.

Particulate binder compositions and methods for making and using same are provided. The binder composition for producing composite lignocellulose products can include an aldehyde based resin and a filler, an extender, or a combination thereof. The binder composition can be in the form of particulates. The particulates can each comprises the filler, the extender, or the combination thereof and the aldehyde based resin.

A coupling agent formulation for cellulosic material-polymer composites is provided. The formulation includes a) at least one organic peroxide; and b) at least one of i) at least one zinc-containing reagent; and/or ii) at least one silicon-containing reagent. The coupling agent formulations produce polymer matrix cellulosic material composites with improved strength and aging characteristics. The improved strength may be related to physical properties such as improved stiffness, toughness or tensile strength. A masterbatch utilizing the coupling agent formulation is provided, as well as a method making the masterbatch.

Systems and methods for cooling and processing materials are disclosed.

The present invention is directed to a method for adjusting the tack value of a binder material formed from a composition comprising an emulsion that comprises an emulsifiable prepolymer that is the reaction product of (i) an isocyanate compound, (ii) a polyol compound, and (iii) a monol compound, and wherein the method comprises: (a) determining a desired tack profile for the emulsion, wherein the tack profile comprises a tack value ranging from 1 to 4 as measured by the TACK TEST METHOD for a particular time value, and adjusting the reactive group ratio of component (i) to (ii) to achieve the desired tack value profile; (b) introducing water to components (i), (ii), and (iii) to form the emulsion composition; and (c) applying the emulsion composition to a lignocellulosic substrate thereby forming a mixture having a moisture water content ranging from 7% to 25% based on the total weight of the mixture.

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.

The present invention relates to a method of plasticizing and densifying hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial, said hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial having at least one surface, comprising the steps of softening the surface of the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial to be compressed; compressing the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial by applying an elevated pressure onto the softened surface of said hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial at an elevated temperature for a predetermined period of time; decreasing the temperature and thereafter the pressure applied to the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial; wherein a plasticizing liquid is added to said surface of the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial to be densified, the plasticizing liquid being a non-imidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL), an organic superbase or a Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES).

A dust suppressant composition providing at least one water soluble plant-derived substance, and at least one synthetic polymeric resin. A method for dust suppression providing a dust suppressant composition, the composition having at least one water soluble plant-derived substance and at least one synthetic polymeric resin, and applying the dust suppressant composition to a plurality of exposed surfaces of bulk or granular materials.