Valorization of Lignin Side-Streams into Polyols and Rigid Polyurethane Foams—A Contribution to the Pulp and Paper Industry Biorefinery

João A. Pinto, Isabel P. Fernandes, Virginia D. Pinto, Elson Gomes, Cátia F. Oliveira, Paula C. R. Pinto, Luís M. R. Mesquita, Paulo A. G. Piloto, Alírio E. Rodrigues and Maria-Filomena Barreiro
Additional contact information
João A. Pinto: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Isabel P. Fernandes: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Virginia D. Pinto: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Elson Gomes: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Cátia F. Oliveira: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Paula C. R. Pinto: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Luís M. R. Mesquita: Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus Santa Apolónia Ap. 1134, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Paulo A. G. Piloto: Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aeronautics—Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (LAETA-INEGI), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Alírio E. Rodrigues: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE), Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Maria-Filomena Barreiro: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-15

Abstract: Valorization of industrial low-value side-streams are of great interest, contributing to boosts in the circular economy. In this context, lignin side-streams of the pulp and paper industry were oxypropylated to produce biobased polyols and tested in the synthesis of rigid polyurethane (RPU) foams. E. globulus lignins, namely a lignin isolated from an industrial Kraft black liquor and depolymerized lignins obtained as by-products of an oxidation process, were used. RPU foams, synthesized with 100% lignin-based polyols and using a 1.1 NCO/OH ratio, were characterized concerning apparent density, morphology, thermal conductivity, thermal stability, and heat release rate (HRR). Foams containing the lignin-based polyols presented densities varying from 44.7 to 112.2 kg/m 3 and thermal conductivity in the range of 37.2–49.0 mW/mK. For the reference foam (sample produced with 100% wt. Daltofoam TP 32015 polyol), values of 70.9 kg/m 3 and 41.1 mW/mK were obtained, respectively. The achieved results point out the viability of using the generated lignin-based polyols at 100% content in RPU foams, mainly when depolymerized lignins are used. Moreover, fire retardancy was favored when the lignin-based polyols were introduced. The proposed strategies can contribute to establishing the integrated pulp and paper biorefinery concept where material synthesis (polyols and RPU foams) can be combined with chemical production (vanillin and syringaldehyde).

Keywords: biorefinery; lignin side-streams; depolymerized lignins; lignin-based polyols; rigid polyurethane foams; flame retardant properties (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3825/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3825/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:13:p:3825-:d:582149

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().