Bark from Nordic tree species – a sustainable source for amphiphilic polymers and surfactants
Source abstract
Abstract
Abstract Many of the amphiphilic molecules, or surfactants, are produced from fossil-based raw materials. With the increasing awareness of the climate situation, focus has shifted toward more environmentally friendly solutions to replace fossil-based products. This has led to more interest towards the forest. The circular bioeconomy is focused on making use of residues and waste and on optimizing the value of biomass over time via cascading. Nowadays, bark is seen as a waste product by industries and mainly incinerated as solid fuel. The bark contains interesting compounds but some of these are only available in low amounts, less than 1 % in the bark, while other components are present in several percentages. However, some of these components are potential candidates for the manufacture of amphiphiles and there seems to be a strong match between bark availability and surfactant demand. The global amount of bark available is approximately 359 million m3and more than 10 million m3of industrial bark are generated annually in Sweden and Finland. The bark of Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch contains approximately 25–32 % of extractives and part of these extractives has a potential as a surfactant backbone. This matches the global surfactant demand of about 15.6 million tons. Therefore, industrial bark has a significant potential value as a raw material source for amphiphilic molecules and polymers. This review focuses on betulin, condensed tannin and suberin. These compounds have been studied on individually and methods to extract them out from the bark are well investigated, but to utilize them as amphiphilic compounds has not been explored. With this review, we want to emphasis the potential of using bark, what today is seen as a waste product, as a raw material for production of amphiphiles. Moreover, a techno-economic analysis has been performed on betulin, tannins and suberin.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Lignin and Wood Chemistry · Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis · Biological Activity of Diterpenoids and Biflavonoids
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC) and Division of Wood Chemistry and Pulp Technology, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology , School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Teknikringen 56-58 , Stockholm , Sweden
Division of Wood Chemistry and Pulp Technology, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology , School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Teknikringen 56-58 , Stockholm , Sweden
Holmen AB , Strandvägen 1 , Stockholm , Sweden
pSk earth adaption AB , Kullagatan 55B , , Helsingborg , Sweden
Funding
VINNOVA · Business Finland · Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse
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