Lignin, the second most abundant natural polymer, holds great promise as a renewable alternative to fossil-based materials. Enzymatic treatment of lignin using laccase is an environmentally friendly and commercially available method with a low-cost biocatalyst that can act on phenolic groups of lignin at room temperature, using ambient air to valorise the lignin. I aim to gain knowledge about the interactions of lignin with protein-based biopolymers and use it to create lignin-based hydrogels with optimized properties for additive manufacturing and biomedical applications. By understanding these interactions, sustainable, economically feasible lignin-based 3D printable materials can be developed with excellent mechanical properties to replace petroleum-based products.

2024

2028