Agglomerated Lignin Resin Carbonization Without Melting or Dust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing carbon enriched materials from lignin face issues such as undesired thermoplastic behavior, dust formation, and melting/foaming during thermal conversion, particularly with lignin having low glass transition temperatures, limiting industrial scalability and safety.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin materials with a specific particle size distribution by contacting lignin with thermoset resin and curing, which stabilizes lignin during heat treatment, preventing melting and swelling, and reducing dust formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If lignin is used as a fine powder for thermal conversion to carbon enriched materials, then the carbon source is readily available and renewable, but undesired thermoplastic behavior, melting, swelling, and foaming occur during heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines lignin with a binder material to form a composite granulate. This composite structure allows the lignin to maintain its renewable carbon source advantage while the binder provides structural stability during thermal conversion, preventing melting, swelling, and foaming that occur with pure lignin powder.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent processes lignin from fine powder into granulated form through agglomeration with binder. This segmentation transforms the problematic fine powder into larger, stable granulates that resist thermoplastic deformation during heating while preserving the lignin's carbon content for carbon enriched material production.
2Productivity
If lignin fine powder is processed thermally, then carbon enriched material is produced, but aggressive swelling and foaming severely limit processability and equipment dimensioning
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a composite granulate of lignin and binder, the patent enables scalable production of carbon enriched materials. The binder component suppresses aggressive swelling and foaming during thermal conversion, making the process industrially viable with properly sized equipment rather than limited by uncontrolled expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary agglomeration of lignin with binder before thermal conversion. This pre-treatment creates stable granulates that will not undergo aggressive swelling during heating, thereby enabling straightforward industrial processing without the need for specialized equipment to handle uncontrolled expansion.
3Device complexity
If lignin powder is used directly for thermal conversion, then the process is simple, but dust formation increases the risk for dust explosions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent agglomerates fine lignin powder with binder to form larger granulates. This reduces the surface area to volume ratio and minimizes dust formation during handling and processing, thereby reducing dust explosion risks while maintaining processing efficiency through a relatively simple workflow.
4Temperature
If lignin with low glass transition temperature is heated, then thermal conversion to carbon material occurs, but melting and fusing occur prior to reaching stabilization temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite where the binder material has a higher glass transition temperature than the lignin. This allows the composite granulate to maintain structural integrity and shape at temperatures where pure low-GT lignin would melt, enabling thermal conversion to occur without premature melting or fusing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the thermal properties of the lignin system by combining it with binder material. This changes the effective glass transition temperature of the mixture, allowing the material to withstand higher temperatures without melting, thus enabling successful thermal conversion to carbon enriched materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces a carbon enriched material suitable for large-scale manufacturing with retained shape and reduced dust formation, suitable for use as an active material in secondary batteries.
Implementation Method 1
forming an agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material... and curing the agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material to heat treatment at one or more temperatures in the range of from 300° C. to 3000° C.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing an agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material. The method comprises the steps of providing lignin, providing at least one thermoset resin, forming an agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material, and curing the agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a carbon material, comprising heat treatment of the agglomerated lignin-thermoset resin material so as to obtain said carbon material. The obtained carbon material is suitable for use as active material in a negative electrode of a secondary battery.