10.3.2025
Machine Learning Paves the Way for the Next Generation of Flexible Biorefineries
The naturally occurring lignin-carbohydrate complex in wood holds great potential as a new biorefinery product, according to a recent study by Åbo Akademi University and Aalto University. The findings also highlight how machine learning can accelerate the development of new technologies for flexible biorefinery concepts.
Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are indispensable components of the wood cell wall, providing wood its rigidity and structure. In traditional pulping processes, LCCs are broken down to separate cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The “AI-4-LCC” project aims to harness the natural synergy of lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) from wood to develop bio-based antioxidants, effective surfactants, and polymer additives.
The process of converting biomass into products and energy is known as biorefining. New biorefinery strategies focus on maximising product yields to make more sustainable and holistic use of our natural resources. Developing such new processes can be slow and demands the optimisation of various parameters. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) can help accelerate this development.
The project teams within the consortium have collaborated to develop a process for producing LCCs with tailored properties and high yield. Researchers from Professor Chunlin Xu’s group at Åbo Akademi University have been assessing the potential of LCC for high-value applications by analysing surface tension and glass transition temperature.
– The study found that a high carbohydrate content in LCC helps reduce the glass transition temperature and surface tension in aqueous solutions. This suggests that they could be used in thermoplastic formulations and as bio-based surfactants. LCC produced under severe processing conditions, such as high temperatures over extended periods, demonstrated remarkable antioxidant activity, according to Daryna Diment, PhD student at Åbo Akademi University.
The project teams at Aalto University and the Technical University of Munich, led by Professor Patrick Rinke, have been gathering data and studying how process conditions, temperature, and the liquid/solid ratio influence yield and carbohydrate content.
The collaborative efforts of the project teams demonstrate a significant advantage over traditional biorefineries in isolating LCC, as it relies solely on water, temperature, and acetone extraction.
The study within the consortium project “AI-4-LCC: Exploiting Lignin-Carbohydrate Complex through Artificial Intelligence” was recently published in the journal ChemSusChem and is available to read in full here.
This project is funded by the Academy of Finland. Åbo Akademi University’s share is just under 350,000 euro.
Enquiries:
Chunlin Xu, Professor of Fibre and Biopolymer Chemistry at Åbo Akademi University
E-mail address: chunlin.xu@abo.fi