An aqueous adhesive composition and a process for preparing such compositions are disclosed. The composition comprises macromolecular complex comprising (A) a first component comprising (i) a framework element and (ii) a polyphenol, and (B) second component comprising a polypeptide, oligopeptide, amino acid, or polyamine. The framework element comprises (a) a polypeptide, oligopeptide, amino acid, or polyamine, (b) a polysaccharide, oligosaccharide, or monosaccharide, or a saccharide conjugate, or (c) a lignin, a lignan or a lignin conjugate. The polyphenol comprises a tannin, a tannic acid, a flavonoid, or a poly-resorcinol. An adhesive precursor composition comprising the first component is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to environmentally friendly flame retardant materials based on renewable resources and industrial waste streams. The materials have advantageous intumescent properties, charring, gas phase radical traps and thermal stability. The present invention further relates to processes for the preparation of the flame retardant materials and to plastic materials comprising said flame retardant materials.

The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling thermoplasticity and toughness of a redox-modified plant fiber, comprising following steps: (1) pretreating a plant fiber; (2) obtaining an oxidation-modified plant fiber by adding an oxidant solution, then filtering, and washing; and obtaining the redox-modified plant fiber by adding a reductant solution, then filtering, and washing; and (3) fully mixing a plasticizer with the redox-modified plant fiber; the plasticizer being a hydroxyl plasticizer, an ionic liquid plasticizer, a deep eutectic solvent, an ester plasticizer, an amine plasticizer, a glycidyl plasticizer, or an inorganic salt plasticizer. The method according to the present disclosure can improve the toughness of the redox-modified plant fiber material, reduce the processing temperature of the plant fiber material, and broaden the processing window of the plant fiber material.

A method that may include a mixing step for mixing a wood powder and alkaline substances, a kneading step for feeding a mixture of the wood powder and the alkaline substances and a resin into kneading machine and kneading the same in a condition in which the resin is thermally melted, and a molding step for forming an interior part using a plant fiber-reinforced resin obtained in the kneading step.

The present relates to a process for the depolymerization of lignin using chemicals recoverable by the soda or kraft mill recovery cycles. The process involves the use of sodium hydroxide or white liquor to depolymerize lignin in black liquor or other lignins (e.g. hydrolysis lignin, kraft lignin) by conducting the reaction at 170-250 C. for up to 3 hours in the presence or absence of a co-solvent and a capping agent. The depolymerized lignin is then obtained by acidifying the reaction products to a low pH to precipitate the de-polymerized lignin, followed by particle coagulation, cake filtration and washing with acid and water to obtain a purified depolymerized lignin product.

The present invention describes synthesis and properties of cellulose based biodegradable hydrophobic mulch film for agricultural applications. The invented method can also be used to obtain an highly hydrophobic mulch film. Cellulose, the most abundant natural polymer is chemically modified to make bio-degradable, mulch films that are partially air permeable but water impermeable. The water impermeability can be changed by varying the processing conditions. The film can be multi-functional; that is besides providing the water impermeability the film can also be customized to adjust the pH of soil and to deliver herbicides or fertilizers to the soil. Other lignocellulosic materials or different combinations of synthetic fibers, fabrics or polymers and cellulose materials including newsprint can also be used to make the biodegradable hydrophobic film. Additionally, the invention can be used to make biodegradable extremely hydrophobic self-cleaning products for other hydrophobic applications such as packaging materials or disposable water-proof clothing.

Aspects of the invention include color change compositions having a color former and color developer composition that transitions from a first color state to a second color state upon application of an applied stimulus and an amount of a copolymer sufficient to eliminate background color of the color former and color developer composition during transition from the first color state to the second color state. Methods for preparing and devices employing the color change compositions of the invention are also described.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved, batchwise or continuous, preferably continuous, process for producing single-layer or multilayer lignocellulose materials, comprising the process steps of (Ia) producing a mixture M1 and (Ib) optionally one or more mixture(s) M2, (II) scattering mixture M1 and any mixture(s) M2 to give a mat, (III) optionally precompacting the scattered mat and (IV) hot pressing,

in that mixture M1 comprises the lignocellulose particles (component LCP-1) and additionally a) 0.005% to 0.5% by weight of organic carboxylic acid, carboxylic anhydride, carbonyl chloride or mixtures thereof (component A) b) 0.05% to 3% by weight of organic isocyanates having at least two isocyanate groups (component B) and c) 5% to 15% by weight of binder selected from the group of the amino resins (component C) d) 0% to 2% by weight of hardener (component D) and e) 0% to 5% by weight of additive (component E),

and mixture(s) M2 comprise(s) the lignocellulose particles (component LCP-2) and additionally f) 0% to 0.3% by weight of organic carboxylic acid, carboxylic anhydride, carbonyl chloride or mixtures thereof (component F), g) 1% to 30% by weight of binder selected from the group consisting of amino resin, phenolic resin, protein-based binder and other polymer-based binders or mixtures thereof (component G-1) and 0% to 3% by weight of organic isocyanate having at least two isocyanate groups (component G-2), h) 0% to 2% by weight of hardener (component H) and i) 0% to 5% by weight of additives (component I),

with the proviso that the following conditions are fulfilled:

a.sub.min<a<a.sub.max

and

a.sub.min=[(1/6000.Math.T)+(65/6000)1, preferably a.sub.min=[(1/4500.Math.T)+(65/4500)], more preferably a.sub.min=[(1/3500.Math.T]+(65/3500)]

and

a.sub.max=[(1/2000.Math.T)+(75/2000)], preferably a.sub.max=[(1/2500.Math.T)+(75/2500)], more preferably a.sub.max=[(1/3000.Math.T)+(75/3000)], where T is the temperature of mixture M1 in C. after process step (Ia) and is between 10 and 65 C., preferably 12 and 62 C., more preferably 15 to 60 C., and a is the amount of acid equivalents in component A) in relation to the mass of component C) in m

A mono-extruded hemp composite board (EHB) is provided. By combining hemp feedstocks with virgin and/or recycled binder materials and subsequently extruding them into an extrudate sheet, an environmentally friendly alternative to tradition construction materials is created. Secondary feedstocks and waste products from other production streams may be added during the extrusion process to enhance the physical characteristics of the extrudate sheet in addition to reducing the raw material costs and creating a more environmentally friendly construction material. The extrudate sheet produced using such materials is structurally superior to traditional construction materials due to the structural characteristics of dispersed hemp feedstocks; the complete encapsulation of hemp feedstocks in the binder material; and the lower hygroscopic and higher pest and mold resistance properties of hemp feedstocks. A downstream extrusion arrangement may be used to pattern the extrudate sheet and/or create molded shapes that are difficult to achieve in traditional construction materials, increasing the customization potential of final EHB products relative to traditional construction materials.

A method for producing bioplastic granules includes the steps of subjecting an olive pit waste (prina) from olive oil factories to two different chemical shredding processes, extracting a necessary material for a bioplastic production from a shredded olive pit waste and adding natural polymerizer form holders into the necessary material.