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Biodegradable Kraft Lignin-based Thermoplastics

  • Conference paper
Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics

Abstract

Lignins are seldom accorded a prominent place in compendia about biodegradable polymeric materials. Yet lignin derivatives are available in huge quantities from plant sources, and they are (albeit slowly) biodegradable. Indeed high (85%) industrial by-product lignin contents in thermoplastics were first reported in 19971, and since then a U.S. patent2 has been issued in response to the discovery of plasticizers for simple derivatives of the same kind of raw materials. Previously it had usually been impossible to incorporate any lignin derivative at levels beyond 25–40% into a polymeric material without sacrificing its mechanical integrity. The present article traces the development of the conceptual basis for the paradigm shift that has occurred in formulating useful lignin-based thermoplastics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kaufert Laboratory, University of Minnesota, 2004 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN, USA

    Yan Li & Simo Sarkanen

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  1. Yan Li
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  2. Simo Sarkanen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Emo Chiellini  & Roberto Solaro  & 

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Li, Y., Sarkanen, S. (2003). Biodegradable Kraft Lignin-based Thermoplastics. In: Chiellini, E., Solaro, R. (eds) Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9240-6_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9240-6_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4854-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-9240-6

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