A crew of researchers in Scotland is supporting a clear tech startup to remodel low-value co-products from the forestry sector into eco-friendly alternate options to chemical compounds present in on a regular basis gadgets.
Sonichem says its ambition is to scale back the reliance on petrochemical-derived substances in industries corresponding to cosmetics, packaging and prescribed drugs. Utilizing its patented ultrasound know-how to interrupt down forestry co-products – together with woodchips and sawdust – the corporate extracts pure compounds that may be remodeled into inexperienced alternate options to important chemical compounds.
A latest feasibility examine funded by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), with assist from the College of Glasgow, has helped the enterprise to take its know-how to the following stage. Sonichem is working in the direction of the opening of its first industrial plant in 2027, which is predicted to be based mostly in Scotland and can course of as much as 15,000 tonnes of forestry materials yearly.
The UK generates roughly 4.5 million tonnes of wooden residues yearly. Solely 55% of logs that enter a sawmill turn into usable building timber, whereas the rest finally ends up as co-products corresponding to woodchips and sawdust.
The goal natural substance being collected by Sonichem’s course of is lignin – a polymer that acts like a pure glue, binding the cells and fibres in bushes and different varieties of crops collectively. This property makes it well-suited to be used in merchandise corresponding to resins, movies, coatings and foams.
Whereas naturally occurring lignin from sawdust is just not instantly transferrable to these kind of merchandise, the researchers used a sequence of chemical reactions to create compounds that higher matched the artificial counterparts and might be utilized in manufacturing.
Andy West, chief chemist at Sonichem, mentioned: “Compounds derived from petrochemicals are the constructing blocks for therefore lots of the merchandise we use each day, however to realize web zero that should change. Timber are an excellent pure useful resource that might turn into a part of the provision chain and lignin, specifically, is very versatile and can be utilized in virtually any setting. However, it’s the pure glue that holds a tree collectively, which makes it tough to extract. Up to now, we explored varied strategies earlier than creating the ultrasound know-how to take action successfully.
“The following step within the course of is about participating with each the producers already utilizing resin, in addition to the forestry sector, to make sure that the precise quantity and sort of bushes are planted now to safe the provision of the product for years to come back. This undertaking has been an essential stage within the industrial improvement of our providing and the creation of our first biorefinery plant.”
Professor Dave Adams from the varsity of chemistry on the College of Glasgow, mentioned: “Working with Sonichem, we’ve been in a position to modify the bottom lignin extracted from sawdust to show it into a spread of extra helpful chemical compounds. Of the 5 routes we tried, all 5 labored properly, which is very promising and offers the enterprise the knowledge wanted to scale up this preliminary work to a industrial stage.”
Dr Liz Fletcher, director of enterprise engagement at IBioIC, added: “Scotland’s forestry sector is value over £1 billion to the economic system, however there’s potential to see this develop by utilizing the biomass that sawmills generate in manufacturing. Sonichem is a good instance of a enterprise taking a look at alternate options to petrochemicals from a feedstock in any other case used for low worth functions. As much as 270 million tonnes of artificial resin have been used globally final yr, highlighting the sheer scale of the chance to enhance the sustainability of the chemical compounds sector.”
