WORK PACKAGES

WP1
Work packages

Optimisation of the lignin recovery from paper industry’s black liquors

Objective:

  • Characterization of the black liquor from the kraft process to be used as starting raw-material.
  • Adaptation and optimisation of kraft process to produce pure lignin from Eucalyptus waste and purification of the extracted lignin.
  • The techno-economic and sustainability analyses using the LCC and LCA methodologies to select the optimal conversion and purification processes.

Tasks:
1.1. Characterization of the black liquor stream and selection of scalable purification methodologies
– 1.1.1. Characterization of the black liquor
– 1.1.2. Extraction and purification of the Lignins
1.2. Separation, extraction and chemical and physicochemical characterisation of the kraft lignin
1.3. Optimisation of the lignin purification from the black liquors and conditioning of molecular weight to further valorisation steps
1.4. Study of the residues different from lignin present in the black liquors
1.5. Study of the obtention of polyurethane from black liquor

WP2
Work packages

Manufacture of Carbon fibre mats from high-purity lignin

Objective:

  • Preparation and Tailoring of the blends. Evaluation of the use of different precursors and co-polymers blended with lignin and lignin cellulose blends.
  • Lab-scale electrospinning of the lignin fibres, including testing of oxidation/stabilization for improving post-processing carbonisation.
  • Two-route carbonisation and testing of Carbon fibre. The carbonization of the roving/tow (with filaments textured or aligned) will be made by oven/furnace thermal treatment; and plasma and microwave assisted carbonisation for achieving optimized carbonization temperature profiles and improving quality of the carbonized fibres.
  • Scale-up production of Carbon fibrous mats (up to 100×70 mm) and Carbon non-woven fabrics.
  • Validation and testing of Lignin-derived Mats and Fabrics according to their mechanical, thermal and conductive properties for selected applications.

Tasks:
2.1 Preparation and Tailoring of the lignin-polyurethane blends. Evaluation of the use of other precursors and co-polymers
– 2.1.1. Preparation of the blends
– 2.1.2. Evaluation of the use of polymeric, metal and ceramic precursors
– 2.1.3. Evaluation of transforming kraft lignin in thermoplastic form for melt-spinning processing
2.2 Lab-scale electrospinning of the lignin fibres, including testing of oxidation/stabilization for improving post-processing carbonisation
– 2.2.1. Lab-scale electrospinning
– 2.2.2. Lab-scale wet (coagulation) spinning
– 2.2.3. Lab-scale melt-spinning
– 2.2.4. Preliminary assessment for tailoring the oxidation/stabilization and improving the fibre carbonisation
2.3 Two-route carbonisation: oven/furnace thermal treatment; and plasma and microwave assisted carbonisation
– 2.3.1. Oven/furnace carbonization
– 2.3.2. Plasma and microwaves assisted carbonization
– 2.3.3. Preliminary study of activation strategies at different degrees of estabilisation/carbonisation of the lignin derived materials in order to define the optimum precursor
2.4 Scale-up production of Carbon fibrous Mats (up to 100×70 mm) and Carbon non-woven Fabrics
– 2.4.1. Carbon Mats fabrication
– 2.4.2. Carbon Non-wovens fabrications
– 2.4.3. Pre-impregnation assessment

WP3
Work packages

Technical validation of the production of biobased products

Objective:

  • Production, characterisation and testing of lignin-derived mats and fabrics and stretchable electronic films at laboratory scale.
  • Production of activated carbon from nonwoven carbonisation mats.

Tasks:
3.1 Validation and testing of lignin-derived Mats and Fabrics according to their mechanical, thermal and conductive properties for selected applications
3.2 Production and quality tests of stretchable electronic films
3.3 Activated carbon production from non-woven lignin felt

WP4
Work packages

Benchmarking, Prototyping and Standardization of the biobased materials

Objective:

  • Study of the current processes and competitors.
  • Quality evaluation of the polymer blends of lignin and cellulose dissolved in liquid solvents.
  • Electrospinning trials. Assessment of the mechanical properties of the fibres and the scaling-up parameters.
  • LCA and LCC analysis.
  • Standard studies and homologation over the new bio-products.
  • Assessment of the scale-up of electronic devices.

Tasks:
4.1 Technology watch and Benchmarking
4.2 Lignin morphological studies over the polymers structures and transfer new precursors and blend parameters from lab scale to pilot scale, including pilot scale production and testing guidelines
– 4.2.1. Morphological studies over the polymeric structures
– 4.2.2. Scaling-up parameters
– 4.2.3. Quality production assessment (on pilot scale)
– 4.2.4. Testing guidelines (for the final products)
4.3 LCA analysis for the EUCALIVA process
4.4 Economic Feasibility Analysis (Life Cycle Costing)
4.5. Prototyping and Standardization of the new products: stretchable electronics and activated carbon
4.6. Preliminary study for the scale-up of electronic devices. Assessment on market access

WP5
Work packages

Business Plan, Exploitation and market deployment of final biobased products

Objective:

  • Complete Business Plan with an appropriate marketing strategy.
  • Management Intellectual Property.
  • Technology transfer initiatives.
  • Obtaining opportunities of application that generate new findings and products, as well as identify potential niches and mass markets.
  • Elaboration of an Exploitation Plan to envisage the launch to the market, in an industrial scale scenario.

Tasks:
5.1 Business Plan & Innovative Business Model for Exploitation
5.2 Intellectual Property Protection
5.3 Technology transfer initiatives
5.4 Market deployment of the results achieved by the project
5.5 Exploitation Plan to upscale EUCALIVA at industrial scale (tons scale)

WP6
Work packages

Dissemination and communication

Objective:

  • Development of a dynamic project website.
  • Dissemination of project results among the companies.
  • Training based on the developed technologies to the participant companies.
  • Dissemination activities in a relevant format for five target dissemination audience: project participants, scientific community, policymakers and regulatory authorities, stakeholders, and the general public.
  • Formal communication of EUCALIVA results on a European Conference.

Tasks:
6.1 Project website
6.2 Dissemination and communication activities
– 6.2.1. Dissemination inside the consortium
– 6.2.2. Dissemination outside the consortium
6.3 Interaction to policymakers, stakeholders and other relevant bodies

WP 7
Work packages

Project Management

Objective:

  • To form a strong organizational structure to achieve effective and result-driven management.
  • To ensure that goals and objectives are clearly defined and visible throughout the project.
  • To set up the consortium agreement.
  • To monitor progress among planned and actual activities. To identify risks and issue corrective action plan as necessary.
  • To setup active administrative and technical management throughout the whole project life-cycle, ensuring timely delivery of all the management and technical reports to the EC.
  • Provide efficient financial management and issuing of payments as necessary.

Tasks:
7.1 Establishment of the project management structures
7.2 Kick-off meeting organisation
7.3 Overall management of the project based on KPIs tool and BSC methodology

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