Sustainable and cost-efficient lignin-based concrete plasticiser

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a technique that can be used to convert lignin – a by-product of pulp mills and biorefineries – into a concrete plasticiser that is competitive against the synthetic and lignosulphonate-based admixtures currently on the market. In its water-soluble form, lignin can also be used as an additive in paints, printing inks, coatings and manufacture of gypsum products. The workability of fresh concrete and the strength of the final product are important to builders. In fresh concrete, the lignin solution produced using VTT’s LigniOx