Hazardous chemicals aren't always visible to the naked eye, yet they may be in homes or products used every day. Stora Enso is on a mission to replace such products with renewable materials. The new binder NeoLigno demonstrates the unique properties and potential of lignin. Lignin is nature's second most common macromolecule after cellulose. It is found in all plants and makes up to a third of the composition of wood. Lignin is a renewable raw material free from toxic substances and fully traceable to its area of origin.

NeoLigno is a bio-based, high-performing alternative for industries currently using fossil-based binders or hazardous chemicals. Initial target applications for NeoLigno are in particleboards and insulation materials used in the building and construction industry. Additional application areas are currently being investigated.

"We are taking the lead in creating a new era of natural binders for healthy everyday living. Companies are increasingly looking for safer and more natural materials to be able to offer high quality, fully bio-based end products to their customers. NeoLigno is based on lignin from our own production. With NeoLigno, our customers can develop products that are safer to make and use without compromising on technical performance," says Lauri Lehtonen, Head of Innovation of Stora Enso's Biomaterials division. "NeoLigno has many benefits: It is free from formaldehyde and isocyanate; it is fully bio-based; and it offers high performance," Lehtonen concludes.

Stora Enso has been producing lignin commercially since 2015 at its Sunila Mill in Finland.