Future Lignin and Pulp Processing Research (FLIPPR)

Energy supply and climate change are today’s most pressing preoccupations. Promoting renewable materials certainly is the most efficient way to improve sustainability in resource use. In this context the pulp and paper industry is well placed as it is based on one of the most important renewable raw materials – wood. While novel wood based biorefinery concepts have been in the focus of scientific research for quite some years, the integrated development of new products and their manufacturing within the pulp and paper industry still is to be seen as a major bottleneck with a great potential. In this K-Project Future Lignin and Pulp Processing Research - FLIPPR, the efforts are focused on establishing structural know-how to make more efficient use of both major raw materials streams of the industry - cellulose and lignin. The single projects focus on applications in the pulp and paper value chain but also in areas outside the classical product chain. Product and process design in the pulp and paper industries are mostly empirical due to the underlying complexity of raw materials, processes and products. The goal of FLIPPR is to transform this empirical domain into a science-based endeavour and to give the current product and process development approaches in the field of lignin and fibre usage a new direction. The respective expertise in pulp manufacturing (kraft, sulphite and mechanical pulping processes), paper production (wood free and mechanical graphic papers, packing papers), process technology, analytical chemistry, pulp and paper chemistry, fibre and paper physics, coating technology, organic synthesis, enzymes and biotechnological strategies of the participating scientific and company partners complement each another ideally. FLIPPR is structured in two highly interconnected areas of precompetitive scientific research focusing on lignin and fibre utilization and a third area with the general focus on techno-economic assessment, LCA and project management. Within these areas a total of twelve projects will be carried out that will enable a more efficient use of the lignin and fibres from existing pulp and paper plants in the future.