Doctoral researcher Alharith Yousuf, under the supervision of Adjunct Professor Ikenna Anugwom at Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT), is pushing the boundaries of sustainable bioeconomy with groundbreaking research in a Lignin-First pulping process. Their work focuses on using metal salts hydrate deep eutectic systems to achieve efficient, low-temperature separation of biomass components, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and promote sustainability in the pulping industry.
This novel approach not only targets lower energy consumption by operating below 50°C but also prioritizes the recovery of high-value sulfur-free lignin before extracting cellulose and
hemicellulose, maximizing the utility of each biomass fraction.
The research is still in the lab but shows promising potential for scalability, low environmental impact, and reduced operational costs, making it a compelling innovation for the future of sustainable pulping. Among the next steps is the characterization of the extracted fractions.
The team is also committed to circularity by exploring solvent recycling aligning their efforts with an emission free future.
