Ionic liquids in innovative technologies connected with processing of lignocellulosic raw materials

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Development project No. POIG.01.03.01-30-074/08 co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under: Priority 1 - Research and Development of Modern Technologies Measure 1.3 - Support for R&D projects for entrepreneurs carried out by scientific entities Sub-measure 1.3.1 - Development projects of the Innovative Economy Programme

Type: R&D

Grant: 2 960 000.00 PLN

Total value: 3 250 620.00 PLN

Start date: 01.01.2009

Project completion date: 31.12.2012

The project leader: Wood Technology Institute

Scientific partners:

The project fit in with the global trends of scientific research and innovative development of enterprises in the wood and chemical sectors.

Aim of the Project

The general objective of the project was to develop and use ionic liquids (derivatives of quaternary ammonium salts), a new generation of “green” solvents, in innovative dissolution technologies and to increase the durability of renewable lignocellulosic raw material, i.e. wood. The detailed objectives of the project were:

  • development of innovative technologies to increase the durability of wood and wood composites with ionic liquids,
  • developing a method of cellulose isolation from lignocellulosic raw material (papermaking semi-products and raw materials) using ionic liquids.

The end objective of the project was to develop the parameters of innovative technologies for wood and wood composites protection with biodegradable ionic liquids and the development of low-cost solvents for the environmentally safe dissolving of lignocellulosic raw material.

The project included four main research tasks:

  1. Synthesis of ionic liquids of new functional properties for the wood industry
  2. Ionic liquids in innovative technologies for wood durability enhancement
  3. Ionic liquids in technologies of particleboard and plywood protection
  4. Ionic liquids as environmentally friendly extractants of cellulose from lignocellulosic raw material

The interdisciplinary nature of the planned research has ensured a wide recognition of the properties of the developed ionic liquids and the possibilities of practical use of the Project’s findings. The world-leading research on ionic liquids for the wood industry will contribute to the competitiveness of Polish science and increase its role in the economic development of the country.

 

Actions

The research project involved the synthesis of ionic liquids with new functional properties for use in the wood industry. Modifications of ionic liquids’ structures were conducted in two directions:

  • obtaining compounds with assumed fungicidal activity and physicochemical properties, enabling their application in innovative technologies of wood, plywood, and wood-based panels protection as well as protection of archaeological and antique wood,
  • as cellulose solvents.

In addition to biological and mechanical tests, studies on the effect of protecting lignocellulosic materials with ionic liquids on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were carried out.

Impact of the Project

    • Obtaining wood, particleboards, and plywood with increased resistance to biotic factors.
    • Development of technological parameters to increase the durability of wood and wood composites.
    • Development of parameters for an efficient and environmentally safe process of cellulose isolation from papermaking semi-products and raw materials.

    The innovative concept of using ionic liquids to decompose the lignocellulosic complex from renewable raw materials into its structural components will increase the competitiveness of national technological solutions. Biodegradability in the environment of ionic liquids, apart from ionic liquids many functional properties, is the most important advantage of these innovative biogenic substances.

    The developed chemical compounds as well as technologies for protecting and obtaining new materials present an offer for the chemical industry, manufacturers of wood preservatives, companies protecting wood against biotic agents, companies renovating wooden architecture, manufacturers of household chemicals and cosmetics, producers of biofuels, and companies using products of wood refining, the wood-based panels and plywood industry, and the pulp and paper industry.

    The effect of the implementation of the development project is the dissemination of the obtained solutions and technologies in the wood and chemical industry.

Ionic liquid structures:

The project was launched on April 2, 2009 at the Wood Technology Institute.

Under the project:

  1. The first ionic liquids (of plant origin) with high biological activity were obtained
  2. Two new worksites were created at the Institute
  3. A PhD student of the Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Chemical Technology of the Poznań University of Technology was involved in the implementation of the Project
  4. The first invention for patent protection was filed with the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland

The first results of the Project were presented on:

  • XXIV Symposium on Wood Protection, Rogów, September 9-10, 2009

and published in:

  • “Wood protection” XXIV Symposium on Wood Protection, Rogów September 9-10, 2009

Presentations promoting the project were presented to numerous scientific bodies during:

  • Seminar of the Physical Chemistry Department of the Warsaw University of Technology, PTChem Thermodynamics Section, Warsaw 18.05.2009
  • X PSMB Symposium “Protection of buildings against moisture, biological corrosion, and fire”, Gdańsk 18-20.06.2009
  • VI Congress of Chemical Technology, Warsaw, 21-25 June 2009
  • Meetings of the Polish Technology Platform for the Forestry and Wood Sector at the Wood Technology Institute, Poznań, 23.06.2009
  • V Scientific Conference “Microbiological degradation and corrosion of technical materials”, Łódź 07-09.09.2009
  • XXIV Symposium on Wood Protection, Rogów September 9-10, 2009

The project met with great interest of the industry. The following business entities have engaged in formal cooperation:

  • Przedsiębiorstwo Produkcyjno-Consultingowe ADOB Sp. z o.o.
    61-028 Poznań, Warszawska St 43
  • International- Paper Kwidzyn Sp z o.o.
    82-500 Kwidzyn, Lotnicza St 1
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