We have created a groundbreaking, nature driven technology to make everyday life more sustainable. In the video we describe, how our technology works. How we derive valuable, high performing and sustainable material from currently under or even non-utilized pulp industry side stream. Taking hard to harness hemicellulose and lignin from the the process, utilizing membrane filtration and enzymatic reaction to create WOODMER® biopolymers.
Have a look, how Ecohelix process works and creates high performing and sustainable WOODMER® biopolymer
Ecohelix patented technology is one of the first industrial level technology to utilize hemicellulose as a starting point for a polymer production. The process extracts hemicellulose and lignin as raw materials in WOODMER®biopolymer production.
We use membrane filtration for the isolation, purification and upgrading of the Lignin Carbohydrate Complexes (LCC) by removing low molecular weight organic compounds as well as salts and chemicals used by the pulp mill. These smaller compounds penetrate the porous membranes while the bigger LCC structures are retained and enriched for the next step in the process.
Laccase enzyme, which is a natural enzyme present in wood and in wood decaying fungi, is used in the reaction where it functions as a catalyst in the process to crosslink the lignin carbohydrate structures. The reaction is a radical reaction between phenolic moieties, initiated by the laccase enzyme which enables the formation of new carbon-carbon bonds. This creates larger structures with increased molecular weight and the formation of longer co-polymers.
The result: high performing and sustainable wood-based biopolymer with following properties:
High molecular weight: The average molecular weight is increased for the WOODMER® polymers during the production process. This enables easier purification of the polymers using ultrafiltration and gives the final polymers film forming properties
Low turbidity: Particle free product enables good applicability in variety of formulations
High negative charge density (2 mmol/g substrate): Enables high water solubility and good capacity to disperse inorganic particles in water. This is useful as it benefits products such as paint and glue with favorable characteristics such as high dry matter content in formulations
Excellent barrier properties (high grease barrier properties): Benefits applications such as paper packaging, where certain WOODMER® grades provide good barrier properties against grease
Reach out to us to find out more about our technology and applications.
Ecohelix WOODMER® polymers help formulators and brand owners to lower the environmental burden of their products without compromising the performance