Carbon negative lignik panels for the construction industry to reduce carbon footprint

Carbon negative lignik panels for the construction industry to reduce carbon footprint

Project Outline 

One-fourth of the global anthropogenic CO2 is emitted by the construction industry – each metric tonne (t) of brick, cement and steel emitting up to 0.5, 1 and 2 t of CO2, respectively. Alternative materials produced from sustainable resources and with much lower CO2 burden are the need of the time.

Ligniks are bio-bricks/panels derived from biomass for application in the construction and furniture industries. All the products manufactured from ligniks are carbon negative as they sequester CO2. This lab-based project will investigate production of ligniks from non-food biomass via fermentation and polymerisation processes. The project will be carried out at the CCS Lab. This project will be of interest to the forestry, pulp and paper, and construction industries.

Scope of the project includes:

  • Literature review and development of experimental and analytical methods;
  • Fermentation of biomass into an adhesive/polymer for the ligniks;
  • Conversion of lignin into ligniks and production of the final composite using the adhesive/polymer; and
  • Analytical analyses of the product/s.

Resources: CCS Lab wide range of analytical support

Project Supervision Team

Dr. Adeel Ghayur (Biomanufacturing); A/Prof Vince Verheyen (Analytical Chemistry); Dr. Alicia Reynolds (Analytical Chemistry/Biochemistry); & Supervisor (Microbiology)

Both Alicia and Vince bring extensive sampling and laboratory analytical skills, and experience with PhD supervision. Adeel brings biomanufacturing experience. One supervisor with microbiology background will also join the project.

ERA: Environmental science and management

Research centre: Carbon Technology Research Centre/Civil and Power Engineering.

References

Ghayur, A. (2019). Biofuels for circular economies in developing countries. In the International Conference on Innovative Applied Energy. Oxford, UK. 14-15 Mar 2019.

Ghayur, A & Verheyen, T. V. Modelling a biorefinery concept producing carbon fibre-polybutylene succinate composite foam. Chemical Engineering Science 209 (2019): 115169.

Ghayur, A. (2020). Biorefinery as a catalyst for the Circular Bioeconomy. Appita Journal (in press).