VIOBOND project - New BBI JU flagship plant will produce biobased resins at industrial-scale

Type of post: PROJECT PROFILE.

The new BBI JU-funded VIOBOND project will build a first-of-its-kind flagship biorefinery producing industrial-scale lignin-phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resins. The main commercial end-use of these resins is conventional plywood panels where lignin substitutes fossil-origin and hazardous phenol and formaldehyde in resin. Also, special LPF resins to be used in consumer products such as plywood coating, white furniture plywood, sandpaper adhesive and insulation glass wool binder will be validated and produced in the flagship plant.
Profile on BBI JU website: VIOBOND.
Related post: “BBI JU flagship projects - The new generation of European advanced biorefineries”, 17/7/2017.

Figure 1. The main commercial end-use of LPF resins is conventional plywood panels where lignin substitutes fossil-origin and hazardous phenol and formaldehyde in resin

Key date

Title	Sustainable binder: Upscaling new lignin-phenol-formaldehyde resin production with wood-based biorefinery lignin.
Programmes	H2020-EU.2.1.4. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology. H2020-EU.3.2.6. - Bio-based Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBI-JTI).
Topic	BBI-2020-SO1-F2 - Turn lignin into materials and chemicals for high-end applications.
Call for proposals	H2020-BBI-JTI-2020.
Funding Scheme	BBI-IA-FLAG - Bio-based Industries Innovation action – Flagship.
Total budget / EC contribution	35,238,125 € / 15,897,000 €.
Start date / End date	1 September 2020 – 31 August 2026.
Coordinator	Latvijas Finieris A/S (Latvia)
Partners	- Chempolis OY (Finland) - Fundacio Universitaria Balmes (Spain) - Graanul Biotech OU (Estonia) - Latvijas Valsts Koksnes Kimijas Instituts (Latvia) - Mirka OY (Finland) - Poerner Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH (Germany) - Saint-Gobain Finland OY (Finland) - ST1 OY (Finland)

Phenolic resins are one of the most versatile polymers invented. However, the raw materials for manufacturing these resins are currently fossil based. One potential sustainable source for use in these resins is lignin. Lignin is widely available as a by-product of forestry-based industries.

The VIOBOND project will set the first commercially viable plant producing resins that will partially substitute the fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde with lignin-derived raw materials. This flagship plant will produce around 45,000 tonnes of the resin per year. The project will demonstrate the efficacy of the resin production process and help transform lignin from a low value feedstock to one that can create high-added value materials.

The VIOBOND consortium combines extensive interdisciplinary experience in a full value-chain from fractionating wood-based biorefinery lignin to manufacturing several types of LPF resin for different purposes. The consortium will establish six new value chains to use different lignin types in plywood LPF resins as well as refined hardwood lignin into plywood coating film binders, sandpaper adhesive and glass wool thermal insulation binder.