Our vision is to create technology platforms for novel materials and chemicals based on by-products and co-products of biofuel and Agri-processing industries to replace fossil-fuel based chemicals and products.

Currently we are working on production of bio-plastic from lignin and crude glycerol.

What is Lignin:

Lignin is the second most abundant natural polymer in the world and is a basic component of the cell walls of plant cell wall. It is composed of both aromatic and aliphatic functionality.

Plant lignins can be broadly divided into three classes: softwood (gymnosperm),  hardwood (angiosperm) and grass or annual  plant (graminaceous) lignin . Three  different phenylpropane units, or monolignols,  are responsible for lignin biosynthesis . Guaiacyl lignin is composed principally of coniferyl alcohol  units, while guaiacyl- syringyl lignin contains monomeric units from  coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol. In general,  guaiacyl lignin is found in softwoods while guaiacyl-syringyl lignin is present in  hardwoods. Graminaceous lignin is composed mainly of  p -coumaryl alcohol units.  These three lignin precursors are shown in Figure 1.

Sources of Lignin:

1. Pulp & Paper Mills:

2. Ligno-cellulosic Ethanol Industries: