LignoSize - Industries in collaboration for a more sustainable future

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A new hydrophobic agent to protect paper against moisture is being developed by SCA together with a number of partners. The product is called LignoSize and tests have been carried out through pilot trials, on a demonstration scale, but also in full-scale tests.

The background to LignoSize is that modern kraft pulp mills such as Östrand pulp mill often have a significant energy surplus and do not need to burn all lignin. Alternative uses of lignin are therefore relevant, for example, it can be sold on as fuel or raw material. LignoSize is an example of the latter, and a product that SCA has developed in collaboration with the green chemical company Sekab and RISE through the Biorefinery Cluster.

The collaborating companies have been working with an idea of ​​replacing today's fossil-based hydrophobic agents in paper production. The development project has also received partial funding from Vinnova.

Hydrophobic agents can be used to protect paper against moisture, and are an important component for various products. In the project, and in the development work, the participants have collaborated to develop a green chemical for the production of paper. The self-developed and patent-pending LignoSize is a new lignin-based material that can serve as a sustainable, fossil-free alternative. By refining the renewable raw material lignin, the use of fossil chemicals in paper production can be reduced in the future.

Initial trials to test what would become LignoSize were conducted at the end of 2020 at the Obbola paper mill. The results were positive, and the next step was development and testing on a demonstration scale. The chemical manufacturing process was designed and built by Sekab in their existing factory in Örnsköldsvik. Development has since continued and has led to the development of a second generation of LignoSize. On a larger scale, and with good experiences, the new version of Lignosize has been tested in full-scale trials at the Obbola paper mill in the end of 2024.

“The collaboration with SCA and RISE to develop a process for manufacturing a new sustainable product is completely in line with Sekab's objective to help our partners and customers phase out unsustainable products,” says Erik Thalén, Project Manager at Sekab.

“SCA has always had sustainability in focus and this is a concrete collaborative project where we work together for continued sustainable development,” says Anders Johansson, head of Fiber and Biomass Technology at the SCA R&D Centre.