Date:September 1, 2017
Country: Canada
Trees
Bark
Biochemicals
resins, adhesives, polyols
Construction materials
foam products
Application
Description My research focus is to develop sustainable bio-based chemicals and materials using renewable forest biomaterials as feedstock. These would be greener than the current options, which are based on fossil fuels.One project we have worked on extensively involves what we call a bark biorefinery. Just as an oil refinery uses a single feedstock (oil) to produce a variety of products, we are developing platform technologies that can use tree bark as precursors and building blocks to produce value-added bio-based resins, adhesives, polyols, and foam products
Pathway Description: The process used in the bark biorefinery project involves extraction, fractionation, chemical modification, and polymerization to break down tree bark into its chemical components and transform them into valuable bio-based products. First, bark is processed to extract useful compounds such as polyphenols and lignins. These compounds undergo fractionation to separate different components, followed by chemical modification to enhance their properties for specific applications. Through polymerization, these modified compounds are converted into adhesives, resins, polyols, and foams.
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Tags: Bark To Bio productsGreen Chemicals From BarkBiorefining Innovation
Biochemicals
resins, adhesives, polyols
Construction materials
foam products
Types of Feedstock
Forest residue
Name
Tree bark
Commercials
High commercial potential in adhesives; resins and foams for construction and automotive sectors
Logistics
Sourced from sawmills and forestry operations
Characteristics
High antioxidant properties
Chemical
Extraction, Fractionation, Chemical modification,Polymerization
Educational Institution
University of Toronto