Finnish Discovery Opens Door for Lignin Use in Glass & Windows

Date:01 Oct 23

Country: Finland

Application

• Researchers have discovered a novel application for lignin, enabling the creation of transparent coatings or colorful reflective surfaces that can be integrated into glass and windows

Description

Researchers have found a way to turn a wood-based waste product into a transparent coating or colourful reflective surface and claim that it can be used in glass and windows. The discover was made by researchers at the Aalto University in Finland, who developed a method of turning Lignin into a bio-based transparent coating with anti-fogging and antireflective properties.

Pathway Description:

The researchers chemically modified the Lignin via acetylation, an esterification reaction that introduces an acetyl functional group into an organic chemical compound to reduce particle size. Using acetic acid to drive the reaction – which took only 10 minutes at a relatively low temperature of 140 °F (60 °C) – yielded ultra-small LNPs at high concentrations with unexpected properties.