Sustainable lignin production through depolymerisation

SPLENDOR RISE-team: Nestor Salvador Palacios, Pietro Bartocci, Payam Ghiaci, Michael Persson, Sylvia Larsson, Johnny Westholm and Robert Gustavsson.

Until now, the production of valuable chemicals from black liquor has relied on complex and costly processes. The EU-funded SPLENDOR project is changing this by developing a groundbreaking, catalyst-free technology that converts in one step black liquor directly into high-value bioaromatic substances such as vanillin and syringol, while recycling inorganic chemicals for reuse in the factory.

A six-month trial period with a 250-litre/hour prototype in a pulp mill will lay the foundation for a full-scale 5,000-litre/hour system. By integrating production on site and creating new industrial applications, SPLENDOR aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 800,000 tonnes per year – a major step towards the EU's sustainability goals.

The team optimises and performs long-term testing of the process at RISE's pilot plant LignoCity, while conducting extensive chemical analyses to evaluate the polymers produced.

Technical objectives

• Demonstrate depolymerisation in one step without pre-treatment, catalysts or additional chemicals.
• Integrate the technology with existing infrastructure in the pulp mill
• Achieve 99% product recovery through advanced separation and purification
• Operate a prototype at 250 litres/hour in an operational mill environment

We target several industrial applications derived from monomers, dimers and oligomers, including:

• Fine chemicals
• Waterproof coatings
• Plasticisers for tyres
• Fuel components

SPLENDOR works towards the goals of the circular economy by converting residual streams into valuable chemicals, reducing European industry's dependence on fossil-based chemicals.

The project is supported by €7.3 million in funding from the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and is coordinated by Ghent University together with 11 partners across Europe to redefine black liquor as a valuable resource for Europe's circular bioeconomy.