Sorption of ions from solutions using bio-based waste stream materials as sorbents

Climate change, population growth, and consumer awareness on sustainability pose a challenge to minimize industrial waste and prolong consumables lifespan, that will be produced in a sustainable manner. New cost-effective and sustainable sorbents have a potential to solve a number of such issues.

The purpose of the project is to increase the share of bio-based materials for ion removal, mitigate water source contamination and minimized waste generation. A sustainable pathway from waste streams of lignocellulose to functionalized lignin-based sorbents will be developed. Lignin properties tailoring takes place during lignocellulose fractionation.

Further modification of new lignin-based materials will be performed to generate materials with higher sorption capacity and selectivity.

The developed materials will be characterized and tested for purification of wastewater streams from battery manufacturing and remove parasitic ions from the electrolyte to prolong the life span of the batteries. Structure-function relationships will be established to conclude on the importance of lignin post modification.

Obtained results enable the foundation for follow-up work on biomass-based sorbent materials and their application in current industrial cycles.