NeoLigno by Stora Enso is a binder made from lignin, an organic polymer in all land-living plants, such as trees. Lignin is the natural binder in wood. It keeps the fibres together and protects the material from rotting. NeoLigno is bio-based and free from formaldehyde and isocyanate.
For two and a half years, Stora Enso, RISE, IsoTimber, and Moelven have worked on a project to produce fossil-free construction boards and elements. The cooperation is based on the partners' shared desire to reduce the carbon footprint in the construction industry. Together, the partners have scaled up the production of fossil-free construction plywood from lab scale to pilot scale and fossil-free construction elements from pilot scale to industrial scale.
"When IsoTimber contacted us and asked for options to make construction panels fossil-free, we started to look around. We quickly discovered that Stora Enso was actively working on a new product called NeoLigno that could be tested immediately," said Magdalena Sterley, an Expert in gluing wood at RISE.
"What we needed then was a manufacturer who also saw the value in developing their products, and that's when we contacted Moelven. Together, we have the entire chain, from glue manufacturers to users of construction boards, all with a strong positive attitude towards wanting to reduce the construction industry's carbon footprint."
Sara Fäldt, the R&D Specialist at Stora Enso, said that in this collaboration with IsoTimber, Moelven, and RISE, it had developed fossil-free construction panels and elements with commercial potential.
She continued that she was happy and proud to see that the project had fulfilled the high expectations the company had set out in the beginning and that it was possible to produce plywood and elements for construction purposes with the bio-based binder NeoLigno.
The partners can demonstrate good results when using a fossil-free alternative by applying and evaluating the lignin-based binder. Together, they have scaled up the production of fossil-free plywood from lab scale to pilot scale and fossil-free construction panels from pilot scale to industrial scale. The tests carried out by RISE show that the products meet all requirements for both strength and water resistance.
"We always strive to improve our products and reduce our carbon footprint. Here we have an opportunity to combine forest-based raw materials greatly and thus reduce our carbon footprint. The good results demonstrated by the project promise good for the future," concluded Tjalling Chaudron, Product Developer at Moelven.
