Early-stage testing is a critical milestone in the development of sustainable materials. When small-scale trials deliver promising results, the next challenge is often clear: producing sufficient quantities for larger-scale validation and industrial testing.
Within the COUNTLESS project, this transition is now well underway. Leveraging VITO’s pilot infrastructure platform, which combines the PILLAR II and LignoValue Pilot units, project partners are able to produce lignin-based platform chemicals at a scale suitable for advanced application development. This capability is essential for bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial implementation.
For Soprema, the increased availability of lignin-derived materials provided an opportunity to expand the evaluation of lignin-based polyols in polyurethane (PU) foam formulations. By moving beyond small-scale experiments, the team was able to assess material performance under more representative production conditions and investigate the potential for higher lignin incorporation.
The results have been highly encouraging. The developed PU foams demonstrated robust performance while containing a significant proportion of lignin-based content, meeting key industrial requirements and confirming the potential of these renewable raw materials as viable alternatives in polyurethane applications.
With these positive outcomes, the project is progressing to the next phase of validation. Additional testing campaigns and the production of larger material batches are required to support trials on industrial manufacturing lines. Achieving this objective depends on a reliable supply of lignin-based platform chemicals in larger volumes.
To meet this growing demand, VITO is planning another multi-day continuous lignin depolymerisation campaign. The resulting depolymerised lignin oil will be supplied to COUNTLESS project partners, providing the material needed for further scale-up activities and industrial evaluation.
This latest achievement marks another important step in the COUNTLESS project’s mission to demonstrate sustainable, bio-based alternatives for industrial applications. By continuously scaling production and validating performance under real-world conditions, the consortium is bringing lignin-based solutions closer to commercial adoption and supporting the transition towards a more circular and resource-efficient economy.