Sukaina Ben Taleb IkutzaPhD Student

Sweden is one of the world leaders in the pulp and paper industry, generating millions of tonnes of lignin - a polymer constituent of wood - as a by-product, much of which remains underutilised. Because of its high carbon content and excellent heat resistance, lignin has great potential for thermal management applications. Given the heavy dependence of the energy sector on fossil-based materials, new bio-based solutions are needed to improve energy efficiency and mitigate climate change. Lignin could play a key role in this transition. It can be used in materials for energy storage, solar energy absorption and insulation. Due to its abundance and availability, lignin is an attractive option for large-scale applications, especially as an insulation material in the building sector. Lignin-based foams offer a sustainable alternative to traditional petroleum-based insulators such as expanded polystyrene (EPS). However, the brittleness of lignin and its low mechanical strength pose significant challenges, hindering its applicability. This research aims to overcome these limitations by developing new lignin-based materials that are sustainable and scalable for industrial production.