EUBCE 2026 - Kosma Jan CELMER - Hyperlignification of Wood: Turning Industrial Lignin Waste into Durable, Biocide-Free Biomaterials

Hyperlignification of Wood: Turning Industrial Lignin Waste into Durable, Biocide-Free Biomaterials

Short Introductive summary

Lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth, is an underutilized by-product of pulp and paper production, with millions of tonnes annually incinerated for low-value energy recovery. This work introduces a scalable route to valorize industrial lignin by converting it into a functional component for durable wood materials. The process combines (1) complete solubilization of technical lignins (kraft, soda, organosolv) in alcohol–water mixtures and (2) vacuum impregnation of wood with these stable dispersions to achieve hyperlignification. The resulting materials incorporate up to 80 wt% additional lignin, far exceeding previous methods. Microscopy and physicochemical analyses show that lignin infiltrates both cell lumina and walls, producing a dense, hydrophobic, and decay-resistant structure. The treated wood exhibits markedly improved fungal and moisture resistance without synthetic biocides. A preliminary assessment indicates sufficient European lignin resources to enable large-scale deployment, potentially using 1.5 Mt lignin annually and avoiding 3.5 Mt CO2 emissions through carbon retention.

S. Tjalfe Thomsen, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, DENMARK
T.I. Simonsen, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, DENMARK
K.J. Celmer, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, DENMARK
A. Ponzecchi, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, DENMARK
E.E. Thybring, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, DENMARK