Abstract
(English)
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The Work of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Lausanne, Switzerland) as part of the VALOIR initiative was principally aimed at identifying structure-function correlations for crude and modified lignins. This three-year project, which employed mainly Dr. Peter Kaeuper and Ing. Nadif Abdelladif, with the main administrative assistance of Ms. Ingrid Margot, (until 06.2000) and Ms. Evelyn Duperrex (as from 10.2000) was completed on June 30, 2001. Importantly, the project has been able, via routine analytical methods such as FTIR and titration, to fingerprint lignins and to categorize lignin according to its functionality. This has been used to assign lignins of various 'functional types' toward specific applications. As an example, lignins from Flax, Hemp and Straw were categorized into domains where excellent performance was observed either as a concrete additive or as a surfactant in emulsions. The project's deliverables include this analytical methods development,
which permits the control of quality of raw materials, a limiting step in developing commercial lignin product lines. Furthermore, technical papers were communicated to our commercial partners in the area of lignin application and functionalization. The EPFL, as a
sub-contractor of GRANIT, is proud that the technologies and analytical methods are now part of an industrial development, having already passed through the pilot stage. First customers have already been given ton-scale quantities of materials. The project has also
included the disclosure of potentially patentable technologies and has resulted in two scientific publications, along with a contribution to a round-robin joint testing paper, the latter with the other institutes involved on the project. The principal scientist on the project, Dr. Kaeuper, has been hired by one of the project partners to continue the product development, which is expected to be in full scale production by 2003.
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