What is lignin? Unexpected discoveries have expanded its industrial use.

- Applications of lignin discovered in the plastic casing of lead-acid batteries - [Samples available]

Currently, lignin is attracting attention as a powerful biomaterial, but in the past, it was only used for limited applications. Bolegard is a company that has consistently produced lignin since its early days. One of the applications that supported that early period was lead-acid batteries. Lead-acid batteries were invented in 1859 by the Frenchman Gaston Planté. The current basic structure consists of lead dioxide as the positive electrode, sponge lead as the negative electrode, and dilute sulfuric acid as the electrolyte. Until the first few decades of the 20th century, the containers for battery cells were made of wood. However, with improvements that changed the containers to plastic, a problem arose where the cycle life became shorter. Upon investigating the cause, it was found that lignin was what supported the cycle life of lead-acid batteries. It was discovered that the polymer structure of lignin has excellent functions in inhibiting or dispersing the crystallization of inorganic compounds due to steric hindrance. Subsequently, Bolegard followed a business path of developing lignin-based dispersants suitable for various applications. We are introducing various new uses for lignin. Please take a look at our special webpage.

Chemicals