Tecnaro (Germany)

Intensive efforts by research institutions and industry has been unable to generate high added value to a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, the natural polymer lignin. Chemical pulp mills accumulate approximately more than 50 × 106 tons of it in mass every year, worldwide. A group of researchers and developers, however, developed a family of composites called ARBOFORM®, the polymer lignin being the main component of this new class of engineering materials fully based on renewable raw materials. It is applicable to equipment parts in industry and its properties enable it to be partially substituted for plastics and processed wood. Although it shows woodlike properties, standard polymer engineering technologies can process the material like a thermoplastic material. ARBOFORM can be used for various industrial products, using injection moulding, extrusion and compression moulding. Processing of the material occurs at lower temperatures than is used for synthetic thermoplastics and it does not need compounding, which saves substantial energy and cycle time. The resulting parts show a lower shrinkage than those made from synthetic plastics, reveal excellent acoustic properties and enable straightforward recycling. Continued research and development upgraded the material, giving it advanced properties. As expected from engineering plastics, these comprise high stiffness and impact strength, surface smoothness, various functionalities like flame retardancy, thermal and electrical conductivity, various colours and the absence of processing agents. In particular, advanced bio-inspired materials can be derived by pyrolysis, which maintains shape at smaller dimensions. Selected examples provide an overview of various applications for mass consumer and industrial goods, developed earlier currently under detailed investigation.

The natural polymer lignin is a by-product of the pulp and paper industry and every year approximately 50 million tons are generated in chemical pulp mills worldwide. So far the majority of them has been directly supplied to a thermal use for the power supply of the chemical pulp mills. This polymer lignin is the main component of a new class of engineering structural materials and parts for equipment in industrial applications using only renewable resources. ARBOFORM®, a material of this class, consists of lignin, natural fibers for reinforcement and natural additives supporting processing and properties. Although it exhibits wood-like properties, it can be processed like a thermoplastic material and used for engineering products. The mixing and compounding of granules of this material are based on standard technologies of polymer engineering. They can be injection molded and pressed like a thermoplastic raw material. The production of component parts and pressed plates from this material takes place at lower temperatures and the resulting parts show a lower shrinkage than those made from synthetic plastics. The mechanical behavior, however, is wood-like and the measured properties lie in a range of those of polyamide. Some examples of possible applications for mass consumer goods and industrial equipment, which are currently under detailed investigation, are discussed.