LignoBatt - Lignin in redox-flow batteries

Lignocellulosic biomass contains large amounts of lignin and therefore it is one of the most unexploited resources so far. Despite its fascinating materials properties, large scale applications that use lignin have not been realized yet and nowadays a large proportion is burnt (98%). The main problem to use lignins is their inhomogeneous composition causing problems in continuous processes which usually require relatively constant raw material quality. Nevertheless, the low material price, its excellent ecological fingerprint combined with interesting intrinsic properties such redox activity would make lignins versatile starting materials in a wide range of applications. The approach in Lignobatt is to use lignin as electrolyte in redox-flow batteries. Such battery systems require large volumes of material and would therefore generate a large market for lignins.