The present invention relates to a method of producing lignin with reduced amount of guaiacoland etylguaiacol in order to reduce the content of odorous substances by subjecting the ligninto a heating processing order to remove guaiacol.

The present invention provides methods for preparing the nut waste pot composites from a nut waste component, one or more binders, and an oil.

Provided is a solvent borne tire ballast composition which includes in a solvent, a low molecular weight lignin in an amount of at least 5 weight % (or optionally, 10 or 15 or 20 weight %) to 30 or 40 or 50 weight % of the solids, and hemicellulose in an amount of at least 0.1 weight % (or optionally, 0.2 or 0.5 or 1.0 or 2.0 or 5.0 weight %) to 20 weight % (or 10 or 15 or 18 or 25 or 30 weight %) of the solids.

The composition described herein for the prevention of corrosion includes sacrificial metal particles more noble than a metal substrate to which the composition contacts, carbonaceous material that can form electrical contact between the sacrificial metal particles, and means for providing an anticorrosion coating material for the metal substrate. The composition can form a coating on a metal substrate surface.

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.

A process for stabilizing precursor fibers for the production of carbon fibers is disclosed. The process comprises the following steps: continuously introducing, passing and removing said precursor fibers into, through and from a process chamber; establishing a predetermined process gas atmosphere different in composition from ambient air in said at least one process chamber, said process gas atmosphere containing at least one of a reactive component and a catalyst having a predetermined partial pressure; while said precursor fibers are in said process chamber, heating the precursor fibers to at least a first temperature and maintaining said first temperature for a predetermined period of time.

A solid polymer blend material comprising: (i) a lignin-acrylonitrile component containing a homogeneous blend of a lignin component and an acrylonitrile-containing rubber component; and (ii) a styrene-containing thermoplastic component that is non-elastomeric; wherein components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer blend material. Methods for producing the blend material are also described. Methods for producing objects made of the blend material by melt extrusion are also described, comprising: (a) melt blending components (i) and (ii) to form a polymer blend in which components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously blended, wherein the polymer blend exhibits a melt viscosity of no more than 2000 Pa.Math.s at a shear rate of 100-1000 s.sup.−1 and when heated to a temperature of no more than 240° C.; and (b) forming an object made of said polymer blend material.

A solid polymer blend material comprising: (i) a lignin-acrylonitrile component containing a homogeneous blend of a lignin component and an acrylonitrile-containing rubber component; and (ii) a styrene-containing thermoplastic component that is non-elastomeric; wherein components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer blend material. Methods for producing the blend material are also described. Methods for producing objects made of the blend material by melt extrusion are also described, comprising: (a) melt blending components (i) and (ii) to form a polymer blend in which components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously blended, wherein the polymer blend exhibits a melt viscosity of no more than 2000 Pa.Math.s at a shear rate of 100-1000 s.sup.−1 and when heated to a temperature of no more than 240° C.; and (b) forming an object made of said polymer blend material.

Method of preparing a dispersion of colloidal lignin particles by providing a solution of lignin in a mixture of an organic solvent for lignin and a non-solvent for lignin having a ratio of non-solvent to solvent; and increasing the ratio of the non-solvent to the solvent to produce an aqueous dispersion of colloidal lignin particles. The dispersions are stable and the colloidal lignin particles are useful for many applications such as rheology modifiers in three-dimensional printing of hydrogels, or in purification systems such as filters, and packed columns, and as flocculants.

Method of preparing a dispersion of colloidal lignin particles by providing a solution of lignin in a mixture of an organic solvent for lignin and a non-solvent for lignin having a ratio of non-solvent to solvent; and increasing the ratio of the non-solvent to the solvent to produce an aqueous dispersion of colloidal lignin particles. The dispersions are stable and the colloidal lignin particles are useful for many applications such as rheology modifiers in three-dimensional printing of hydrogels, or in purification systems such as filters, and packed columns, and as flocculants.