Yeah, I knew about the lignin as a binder agent for the adhesive market, lignins are wonderfully stable over time unlike the rapidly decomposable cellose component. The bio-based market is very promising as alternatives to the petro-based market, first in reduced VOCs for target basin air quality goals, but equally important is the bio-diesels which exhibit significantly less PM 5 and 2.5, and the constituents of concern found in petro-diesel exhaust. One of my last projects when working was on a committee on funding projects. My pet project was the thermal enhanced decomposition process for waste streams to derive oil, waster, metals, carbon black, CO2 for recovery and methane (which is burned to heat the system).

One thing about the bio market, the existing petroindustry is hard to break into, not so much because of the market share, but I believe because the infrastructure is difficult to change (see below). Still, the benefits you mentioned are clear: cost and reduced emissions. As to where the feedstocks are derived for the various components to make the standard two-part epoxy, they are from all over, a large percentage from the fractionalization of crudes however, a significant part is from other sources, and qualify for, in California, AB 939 waste diversion credits (which I might add I had a part in rule-making).

I mentioned above the petroindustry infrastructure. There are quite a large amounts of former waste by-products that were formerly burned in the flare stacks which are now being recovered, and qualify for, in California, waste diversion credits, as well as the hotly debated air credits since they were permitted for disposal (burning) but are now being made into something. I think the best example is the making of plastic feedstocks these days, but those former wastes are being made into feedstocks, a tiny fraction of which ends up in epoxies and coatings. Better in long-term environmental goals to be recovered and used then burned in less-then-controlled manner in flare stacks. Whatever the source of feedstocks, aside from bio sources, waste stream sources are also growing, and as it should, too.

You mentioned such rapidly-growing, minimal-resource-consumptive fibers such as among others include hemp, kenaf and flax. The same plants which could be used grown even faster in sewage sludges using primary and secondary treatment wastewaters to irrigate, bind up metals and salts into the tissues and used as fiber feedstock. You're preaching to the choir...don't get me on my soapbox!

I think that there will be a solutions to some bio based feedstock limitations with time. There are federal regs that weren't undone in the last two years that encourage the marketplace to develop alternatives. Regulations do provide the impetus for industry to progress the technology-there has to be a push from somewhere and regs are the traditional way. That there is a type of epoxy that has reduced constituents of concern is the major hurdle overcome, that it's not translucent is a minor obstacle in reality. A large fraction of "epoxy" is used in coatings and paints, and that reduced VOCs are there make this highly desireable for industry. The fraction desiring translucent or transparent epoxy is only a matter of time. I'm always pushing the waste industry to look at think about small waste to product plants situated at the big regional landfills. I've attended tours of former pilot plants with those of WMI, Mid Amercia and Allied to interest them into the concepts of making products and not filling lined holes. It makes long-tern sense not to have to finacially baby-sit landfills for the next sevral centuries-if not a millenia-till anaerobic decomposition is finished. How much nbetter it would be to have someone pay uoi to take their raw materials tht they call waste and make it into products. Hell, site a POTW nearby to capture and use the methane for the thermal decomp heat, not to mention tossing in the sludges. And around it all site a huge buffer zone of growing fields for rapidly renewable fibers such as bamboo. The water and sludge can come from the POTW effluent. I'd better stop...I'm on my soapbox...

I'm really pleased to hear from you and see where you're heart lies, too. Are you interested in events off the KBBB? I keep busy in the green sustained global marketplace. My E-mail for that is projectDOTmailATcoxDOTnet (to foil scanning engines, I do that, replace AT with @, and DOT with ".")

into chicken and turkey feathers?

: There's a lot of bio-based development going on right now with regard to
: adhesives. Some of the research has been directed to Lignin based
: compounds as they are typically the waste material from the paper making
: process. Previously, these by-products were tough to handle efficiently
: and usually ended up as a cost to the plant. Now they're showing up as
: adhesives for headliners and door panels in new cars. They emit far fewer
: VOC's and have a much lower cost.

: The panels themselves are built from several different bio-based, renewable
: fibers such as Hemp, Flax and Kenaf.

: Other bio-based research is showing that an epoxy additive derived from soy
: oils is very promising. Some of the testing has indicated that additives
: have iactually increased the strength of epoxy while reducing the use of
: Bisphenol, petro-based chemistry as much as 30% by volume.

: These new products are not clear in appearance, typically a dull gray, so
: they wouldn't lend themselves to a bright finished boat. For those who
: will be painting their craft, though, they could be a real move in the
: right direction.

: I've been reviewing samples of bio-based cloth woven specifically for wetting
: out with resins. My goal is to build a wood cored boat with laminates
: derived entirely from bio-based fibers and resins.

: I'm trying hard to get some samples sent to my shop for testing. If I can get
: my hands on some, I'll let the group know how it works. I'll double post
: this reply for the rest of the gang.

: Chris