News

Breakthrough in lignin research: spherical particles multiply enzyme efficiency

Lignin, a pulp industry by-product, could replace fossil materials.
Reaktioastian pohjalla näkyvät biokatalyytit, jotka sisältävät pallomaisia ligniinipartikkeleita rakennetta tukevassa luonnollisessa polymeeriseoksessa, avaavat uusia mahdollisuuksia vedessä tapahtuville synteettisille reaktioille. Kuva: Valeria Azovskaya

Researchers at Aalto University and York University have succeeded in creating a water-repellent composite structure out of lignin particles, in which the enzymes or biocatalysts can be separated from surrounding water. The breakthrough was accomplished when the researchers discovered that, by regulating the surface charge of single lignin particles, enzymes can be made to adhere to the surface of particles. As material supporting the structure, they utilised a natural polymer isolated from seaweed.

The starting point for the research was the need to utilise lignin, a pulp industry by-product, for new, large-scale purposes. The researchers were surprised to discover that, when introduced, the lignin particles multiplied enzyme efficiency and enabled enzyme recycling in a synthetic reaction that would not otherwise occur in water.

“The beauty of this method lies in its simplicity and scalability. We are already able to manufacture lignin particles in batches of several kilogrammes. Of course, we hope that this will become a sustainable option for the enzyme industry to replace fossil materials in technical applications”, says Postdoctoral Researcher Mika Sipponen.

Lignin not only multiplies enzyme efficiency, it also shows good results in comparison to those substances currently on the market, created from unsustainable sources. “The commercial enzyme we use as reference is attached to the surface of synthetic acrylic resin produced from fossil raw materials. In comparison, this new biocatalyst was at best twice as active”, Sipponen adds.

In the reaction, alcohol and organic acid created in biofuel production produced a water-insoluble ester with a pineapple scent. The process opens up new possibilities for the production of bio-based polyesters, as well.

“We are pleased that the years of investing in the lignin particle research are beginning to produce significant results. We envision several possible uses for spherical particles in green chemistry processes and the development of new materials”, says research leader Professor Monika Österberg.

The research was funded by the Academy of Finland.

The article “Spatially confined lignin nanospheres for biocatalytic ester synthesis in aqueous media” was published today in Nature Communications, DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-04715-6, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04715-6

For more information:

Dr. Mika Sipponen
[email protected]
tel +358503013978                    

Prof. Monika Österberg          
[email protected]
tel +358505497218

  • Published:
  • Updated:

Read more news

Two of the awardees and their robotic arm all holding colorful mugs. Aalto Open Science Award, Honorary mention.
Awards and Recognition, Research & Art Published:

Aalto Open Science Award third place awardee 2023 – Intelligent Robotics Research Group with the Robotic Manipulation of Deformable Objects project

We interviewed the Intelligent Robotics Research Group with the Robotic Manipulation of Deformable Objects project, 3rd place awardees of the first Aalto Open Science Award.
Five Aalto University students around a table
Research & Art Published:

Read the Qual+ Newsletter

We are excited to welcome you to the second Qual+ Newsletter and continue bringing you new ways of looking at methods within management studies.
Picture of leaves in water.
Press releases Published:

Graduate Sustainability Competencies and Influence in the Workplace – Aalto University's Latest Research

Aalto University's Meeri Karvinen successfully defends her doctoral dissertation, February 2024.
Tuesdaus Tools & Techniques for HPC event series
Research & Art Published:

TTT4HPC - Tuesday Tools & Techniques for High Performance Computing

Do you use supercomputers in your research work? Are you curious about making your computing faster and more efficient? Join us for TTT4HPC: four self-contained episodes on best practices in High Performance Computing. This is a great chance to enhance your computational skills. What you will learn is also used a lot outside academia whenever large scale computations are needed.