PRODUCTS
We prepare a wide variety of lignin-based products designed to suit your specific needs and have a team of technical experts available to listen to your requirements, support your trials and offer lab services. LignoAdvances products can be used as dispersing agent, emulsion stabilizer, flocculant and rheology control.
SERVICES
Analytical Services, Pilot Scale Studies, and Consultations available.
INDUSTRIES
Pulping Industry, Mining and oil sands, Construction, Paint industry, Wastewater, Agriculture and food packaging, Cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses
Who We Are
A multinational team of researches with strong backgrounds in chemistry, pulp and paper, biotechnology, and chemical engineering are gathered to do research, develop processes and produce green initiative chemicals from woody materials, which are cost-effective, environmentally-friendly and sustainable as substitute for fossil fuels and petrochemicals. We have an extensive record in the production and characterization of various biomass products, and we are familiar with technologies for processing lignin and lignocellulose materials and the application of these technologies.
We decided to industrialize our biomass-based products by benefiting from our state-of-the-art lab, enthusiastic scholars and our supportive funding agencies. We are targeting academia and industry to provide them with our green sustainable materials. Our research significantly contributes to the knowledge in the general context of biorefinery, which will advance Canada as a leading country in biorefining field.
Our purpose is to revive the Canadian pulp and paper industry and replace petroleum-based products with lignocellulosic biomass materials. With the ability to produce custom specialty chemicals we can suit your need.
LignoAdvances is located at Lakehead University, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, to name a few, Stagnation point adsorption reflectometry (SPAR), QCM, Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM), High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Goniometer: Static Light Scattering (SLS) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Elemental analysis (CHNOS), Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and Parr reactors. We are ready scientifically and equipped to change the world by introducing our green chemicals.
HISTORY
LignoAdvances has been founded after more than 10 years of academic research and evolved from Green Process Research Center at Lakehead University. The team started its research on lignocellulosic materials in 2009, and the results are myriad publications in top rank journals, patents, book chapters, abstracts in refereed conference proceedings. All these were possible through grants from different funding agencies such as NSERC, CRIBE, Resolute, FPInnovations, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Research Fund, NOHFC. During these years numerous Highly Qualified Personnel were trained with expertise in modifying biomass materials to value-added products. Hardworking and passion for research led to an extensive national and international collaborations, as well as awards.
Canadian pulp and paper revival has been the most important concern of the research team. Therefore, the research has been focused on producing value-added products from under-utilized materials of kraft processes to improve the economic aspects of this process. The high demand for sugars from non-food lignocellulosic biomass such as wood and fossil fuels depletion were other initiatives to valorize pulp and paper by-products.
After years of study and research we came to the conclusion that the problem can be limited by increasing the use of renewable raw materials, such as lignin, in packaging, textiles, construction, mining, wastewater treatment and many other industries. The team have developed and assessed the economic feasibility of several processes in collaboration with industrial partners, i.e. AV Nackawic pulp mill, LakeUtopia paper mill, Resolute Forest Products and FPInnovations, in order to produce various value-added products from spent liquors (i.e. wasted liquor) of TMP and NSSC processes as well as from kraft lignin via using flocculation and adsorption concepts. They have also been involved in research on the chemical modification of various materials, e.g. starch, chitosan, kraft lignin, hemicellulose, poly vinyl alcohol over the last 10 years. Their main research areas include forest biorefinery; design, application and economic analysis of flocculants and adsorbents for pulping spent liquors and wastewater effluents as well as colloid and surface science.
OUR MISSION
LignoAdvance has been founded to convert pulp and paper by-products into useful chemicals, polymers, flocculants and dispersants.
Protecting the environment by addressing numerous challenges regarding wastewater treatment, landfills, oil depletion, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Promoting national economic growth and creating local job opportunities
SERVICES
Service is an important pillar of LignoAdvances company. As research and development is at the heart of LignoAdvances company, the company is committed to providing advanced services to industry and academia. The team of LignoAdvances has been involved heavily in the development of biomass for commercial applications. With team of experts in characterizing the sophisticated structure of lignin derivatives and access to advanced instruments, LignoAdvances is proud to help academia and industry in characterizing lignin and other biomass-based products.
Two types of services can be offered: analytical services and consultation.