ABOVE: Black liquor samples are sent to the FPInnovations Lignin Lab from across Canada by companies looking to understand the best end-use for the product. ABOVE MAIN: Lignin, once it has been extracted from a black liquor sample, undergoes a series of tests to determine what its best product application is. pulverized, depending how fine a product is desired.” One of the key reasons for linking the demonstration plant directly to the kraft mill process is the production of lig-nin to meet the growing demands of end users. The initial production capacity is 100 kilograms per day, which has already been met by Resolute. As a result of the current lignin resourc-es made available from the demonstration plant, over 25 organizations from across Canada, the United States and a hand-ful of international partners have already received samples of the lignin for use in product development. “Our largest order to date, approximate-ly two tonnes, went to a phenol formalde-hyde resin manufacturer – the lignin can replace some of the phenol in the formu-lation,” said Maki. “The expectation is that resin will be among the first higher value/ higher volume uses of lignin derived from kraft black liquor (versus using lignin for its fuel value).” cOllecting samples Smaller samples of the lignin created at the demonstration plant are being used in the research conducted at the FPInnovations 22 Canadian BIOMASS January/February 2013
Canadian Biomass January/February 2013: Page 22
