Speaker: Dr. Ross Ellis

Company: Borregaard

Title: Biopolymers from Norwegian Spruce: Biorefining and Performance in Cleaning Formulations

Language: English

Abstract: Biorefining is a process that extracts natural substances from biomass with minimal synthetic alteration. At the Borregaard biorefinery, locally sourced Norwegian Spruce wood is digested and separated into multiple bioproduct streams. More than 94% of the total biomass is converted into products using water-based processes powered by renewable energy. We present the biorefinery model as a basis for delivering benign biobased ingredients for cleaning products, with short local supply chains and low carbon footprint. Specialized lignin biopolymers and cellulose fibrils are showcased, including life cycle analysis (LCA) and performance data in dishwasher, fabric care, and hard surface cleaning formulations. This includes dishwasher anti-filming, soil dispersion, rheology modification and formulation stabilization.