HEMICELL - Wood based chemicals used as functional additives to enhance material properties of cellulose esters
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | INNVENTIA AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 3 299 732 |
| Project duration | March 2014 - July 2017 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
The main objective of the HEMICELL project was the use of chemically modified hemicellulose as a plasticizer and functional additives to improve the material properties of cellulose esters. The Carbon Footprint comparison of Hemicell plasticiser and traditional fossil based plasticiser indicates that the hemicellulose plasticizer has the potential to be an alternative to traditional plasticizers. The estimated prices for modified hemicelluloses are within normal ranges for fine chemicals. The calculation is based on assumptions for water and energy consumption.
Expected long term effects
Pulping process conditions for optimal extraction of hemicellulose from wood has been studied, a scale-up of the process was also performed by hydrolysis followed by a chemical modification. The implementation of this process revealed a number of problems that arise during the scale-up process, mainly during the drying phase. In total, aprox. 9 kg of modified hydrolyzate was produced. Failure recovery is done in a new scale-up centre BISC within RISE. New contacts have been created and new areas of knowledge have been touched for the parties, which is of great benefit to future projects.
Approach and implementation
The project was coordinated from Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Innventia coordinated for the Swedish partners. Innventia developed the processes together with the industrial partners. The NOVA institute led the techno-economic assessment. Mines de Paris studied material properties and manufacturing processes, which were verified by Fraunhofer and FKuR. There has been many contacts and good exchange of ideas throughout the project leading to new project ideas. The project coordinator had to leave the project due to disease and it took some time to find and introduce a new project leader.