13 - Applications of Lignin Materials and Their Composites (Lignin Applications in Various Industrial Sectors, Future Trends of Lignin and Their Composites)

Abstract

Creating innovative products requires sustainable processes and eco-innovation in material development for mass consumer and engineering applications. Advanced approaches use new materials—biocomposites—and their development has to be knowledge-based, whereas predominant issues are resource saving, variability in properties and functionality, lightweight, low costs, and eco-efficiency at all stages of the product life cycle. These are the requirements to be met using raw materials of biomass, fibers, wood extraction constituents, and biopolymers to supply branches of mass consumer goods, automotive and electronic industries. To save substantial amounts of crude oil and reduce carbon footprint demands, the upgrade and use of raw materials from traditionally industrial sectors of wood (wood powder and fibers), textile, and pulp and paper (lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose fiber industries as well as new biopolymers). In addition, it forces to obtain high standards in quality of the raw material output, which can be only achieved by strongly increased efforts in R&D. The manufacturing of these advanced products will have to use processing technologies like plastics and plastic composites but use only bio-based raw materials, which fulfill all criteria of recycling and CO2-neutrality. They should contain less additives or only such which will no longer hazard the environment, and health of workers and consumers.