From Forest to Functional Particles for Life Sciences
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Stockholms universitet - Stockholms universitet Inst för kemi |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 3 145 800 |
| Project duration | May 2023 - April 2026 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
The project largely achieved its objectives and created new research and innovation opportunities. SU developed water-based lignin particles and gels with high reproducibility, which were studied in starch and oil systems. An important discovery was that lignin can inhibit starch retrogradation and provide stable antioxidant activity after heating. New collaborations were established with UH and LignoPure, and three manuscripts and a patent application are in development.
Expected long term effects
The project is expected to contribute to the development of bio-based functional materials that can replace fossil-based ingredients in, for example, food, skin care and nutraceutical products. The results strengthen the use of lignin as a high-value raw material in the bioeconomy and have established new international collaborations and methods in sustainable materials chemistry, creating the conditions for future research, innovation and circular value chains.
Approach and implementation
The project was implemented according to plan with regular project meetings, international workshops and researcher exchanges between the partners. A doctoral student, a postdoctoral fellow and another doctoral student at SU contributed to the experimental work on lignin particles and food-related formulations. The collaboration between the partners worked very well and led to new research and innovation opportunities.