According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composition comprising colloidal lignin particles and an epoxy compound.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composition comprising colloidal lignin particles and an epoxy compound.

Compositions for dust suppression, methods for forming the compositions, and methods for using the compositions are provided. In one embodiment, the composition includes a non-sulfonated lignin and an alkylene glycol alkyl ether solvent. The compositions may be applied to an exposed surface of a substrate.

An oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material is disclosed herein, for nanocellulose sponges and other applications. The oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material comprises lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils and/or lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals. In various embodiments, the nanocellulose material is in the form of a 2D coating or layer, or a 3D object (e.g., foam or aerogel). The nanocellulose material may be disposed onto a scaffold. A process is provided for producing an oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object, comprising fractionating a biomass feedstock with an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a lignin-containing liquor; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals; generating a nanocellulose object from the intermediate nanocellulose material; exposing the nanocellulose object to the lignin-containing liquor to allow lignin to deposit onto a surface of the nanocellulose object; and recovering the oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object.

An ink jet ink composition includes water, a plant-derived carbonized color material, and a lignin resin.

The present invention provides an automotive tire containing from 0.1 wt % to 50 wt % hydrophobic nanocellulose. Hydrophobic nanocellulose may include lignin-coated nanocellulose and/or a chemically modified surface to increase hydrophobicity. The nanocellulose may include cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals. The nanocellulose may be introduced into tire components such as inner liner, body ply, sidewall, beads, apex, belts, treads, cushion gum, and textile fabric. The nanocellulose may be obtained from a biomass-fractionation process utilizing an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water to generate a lignin-containing nanocellulose precursor, followed by mechanical treatment of the nanocellulose precursor to produce the nanocellulose. For example, the nanocellulose may be obtained from the AVAP® process. The tire may further include one or more additional components derived from lignocellulosic biomass. For example, the tire may contain lignin-derived carbon black, lignin-derived antioxidants, or biomass-derived silica. The tire may also contain synthetic polymers derived from biomass sugars.

Lignin formulations for making light-selective mulch, methods of making such lignin formulations, light-selective mulches comprising substrates treated with lignin formulations, and methods of making such light-selective mulches. Some methods involve preparing aqueous lignin formulations that can be used as coatings that, in turn, can be applied to a substrate, such as a paper web, to form a biodegradable, light-selective mulch. Some such mulches blocks at least some light in the ultraviolet and blue/green ranges (350 nm to 500 nm) of the visible light spectrum to inhibit weed growth below the mulch, while also transmitting light in the red/infrared ranges to heat the soil below the mulch.

Lignin formulations for making light-selective mulch, methods of making such lignin formulations, light-selective mulches comprising substrates treated with lignin formulations, and methods of making such light-selective mulches. Some methods involve preparing aqueous lignin formulations that can be used as coatings that, in turn, can be applied to a substrate, such as a paper web, to form a biodegradable, light-selective mulch. Some such mulches blocks at least some light in the ultraviolet and blue/green ranges (350 nm to 500 nm) of the visible light spectrum to inhibit weed growth below the mulch, while also transmitting light in the red/infrared ranges to heat the soil below the mulch.

The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of a lignin prepolymer, comprising (a) providing a lignin; (b) reacting the lignin with a hydroxyl functionalization reagent to provide a lignin derivative containing at least one hydroxyl group, said hydroxyl group being obtained as a result of the interaction between the lignin and the hydroxyl functionalization reagent (c) reacting the lignin derivative obtained in step (b) with a functionalization reagent selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fatty acid derivatives and mixtures thereof capable to react with the lignin derivative resulting in a covalent bond between the fatty acid and/or or the fatty acid derivative and the lignin derivative.

The disclosed technology provides improved compositions and methods for dispersion and drying of nanocellulose, for polymer composites and other systems. Some variations provide a nanocellulose-dispersion concentrate comprising nanocellulose and a dispersion/drying agent selected for compatibility with the nanocellulose and with the nanocellulose-containing composite product, wherein the dispersion/drying agent is selected from the group consisting of waxes, polyolefins, olefin-maleic anhydride copolymers, olefin-acrylic acid copolymers, polyols, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, polyol-glyceride esters, polydimethylsiloxanes, polydimethylsiloxane-alkyl esters, polyacrylamides, starches, cellulose derivatives, particulates, and combinations or reaction products thereof, and wherein the nanocellulose-dispersion concentrate is in solid form (e.g., a powder) or liquid form. Other variations provide a nanocellulose-dispersion masterbatch (e.g., pellets) comprising the nanocellulose-dispersion concentrate and a carrier material. Other variations provide a nanocellulose-containing composite including the nanocellulose-dispersion masterbatch or concentrate and a matrix material. Processes of making and using the disclosed compositions are described.