Green∞

In light of the incessant global consumption of raw materials, the search for sustainable resources is significantly crucial. Lignocellulosic biomass, being the most naturally abundant material, have always been treated as agricultural/food waste or used in low-value applications. Green∞ focuses on the development of functional materials based on lignocellulosic materials and other bio-resources.

Schematic illustration of the various functional materials derived from Lignocellulosic biomass and their potential applications

Capabilities

Biomass-based green materials

Green∞ is capable of generating a variety of functional lignin-based polymers, integrated with both the intrinsic features of lignin and additional properties of the grafted polymers. These modified lignin can be processed into various functional materials for different applications. The team is also exploring the value-added applications of other biomass materials, such as cellulose nanocrystals and hemicellulose.

Up-recycling of food/agri-waste

Green∞ optimizes the process of valorization and exploitation of solid food or agriculture waste. This includes but not limited to, spent coffee grounds, coconut husk, fruit peel, and bagasse. Recently, the team have successfully developed green technologies to recycle coffee waste by extracting coffee oil and producing new functional material, including green surfactant, bioplastics and “white coffee” powder.

Highlights & Achievements

• Biomaterials 2019, 119601.
• ACS Applied Bio Materials 2019, 2 (1), 127-134.
• Compos. Sci. Technol. 2018, 158, 26-33.
• ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2017, 5 (7), 6016-6025.
• Green Chem. 2016, 18, 1175-1200.
• ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2016, 4 (10), 5268-5276.
• ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2015, 3 (9), 2160-2169.

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