EUBCE 2024 - Henoc PÉREZ AGUILAR - Rice Straw Biorefinery to Incorporate Cellulose Fibres and Lignin Derivatives Extracted by Sustainable Methods Into Functional Polymeric Materials in the Footwear Industry

Rice Straw Biorefinery to Incorporate Cellulose Fibres and Lignin Derivatives Extracted by Sustainable Methods Into Functional Polymeric Materials in the Footwear Industry

Short Introductive summary

The process developed in this study is aimed at reducing biowaste generated by the agricultural sector that is currently incinerated (i.e. rice straw), which entails little added value, thus contributing to the circular bioeconomy . This sustainable process will transform this bio waste into high added value products such as biopolyols used in the manufacture of PU adhesives and foams for their implementation in the m anufacture of footwear insoles and soles and their functionalisation with antimicrobial activity. Th e resulting bioproducts will also allow for the manufacture of new bio based materials, which will replace part of the raw materials of fossil origin that are employed in the footwear industry (i.e., polymers) polymers), thus contributing to the decarbonisation of the polymeric materials sector. Overall, these applications will help increase the competitiveness and efficiency of the agricultural sector by transform ing an expense such as the management of rice straw into an income by trading it as a by product for the production of sustainable raw materials.

H. Pérez-Aguilar, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN
V.M. Serrano-Martínez, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN
M.P. Carbonell-Blasco, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN
F. Aran-Aís, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN
E. Orgilés-Calpena, INESCOP, Alicante, SPAIN