Our generation needs to find effective solutions to counter environmental pollution resulting from the population growth and associated boom in the consumption of fossil energy and materials. Renewable plant biomass is an obvious candidate to replace fossil resources, and especially nano- and microscaled biopolymers from lignocellulose hold opportunities for novel advanced and functional materials. Colloidal lignin particles (CLPs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) are examples of such renewable building blocks. CLPs are colloidally stably submicrometer spheres with anionic surface charge amenable to covalent and non-covalent modification. Our recent work has scaled up CLP production to 1 kg scale on dry basis, elucidated their formation mechanism, and developed new colloidal coatings based on electrostatic adsorption of cationic biopolymers. I highlight some of the successful applications of CLPs in emulsion stabilization, confined immobilization of enzymes, drug delivery, water purification, and fabrication of CNF-based nanocomposite films. I extend the discussion towards potential applications of these sustainable materials in new frontiers.

Colloidal lignin particles as key to functional renewable materials and applications

2019 Spring National Meeting

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