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Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Quantitative 31P NMR Analysis of Lignins and Tannins
Published on: August 2, 2021
Toward Safer and Greener Insulation: Formaldehyde-Free, Flame-Retardant, and Bio-Based Phenolic Foams from Tannin and
Jevgenij Lazko1, Jérôme Mariage1, Célia Joyet1
1Materia Nova Research Center, UMONS Innovation Center, Avenue Nicolas Copernic 3, B-7000 Mons, Belgium.
None:
This study reports on the use of degraded lignin in combination with tannins to develop sustainable, formaldehyde-free, and bio-based phenolic foams. Mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant properties of the different foams were systematically evaluated using compression testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mass loss cone calorimetry (MLC), and UL-94 flammability tests. Lignin degradation/activation was carried out via a hydrothermal process in the presence of ethanol. Ethanol-induced lignin hydrogenolysis and thermal degradation were deemed a necessary step to obtain foams with satisfactory mechanical, morphological, and thermal insulation properties. Meanwhile, the fire resistance assessed by MLC remains comparable to that of tannin-based foams, with a similarly low peak heat release rate (pHRR).
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