Demonstrating first-scale-up processes at Empa
During the General Assembly, the Empa team presented and demonstrated Bio-LUSH processing routes piloted at the 10-litre scale, using poplar wood chips, hemp shives, and hemp fibres as feedstocks. These demonstrations showcased the optimisation and first successful scale-up of biomass and nanocellulose production that is developed under the process of biomass conversion into fibres and lignin/nanocellulose. The mild conditions applied by the Bio-LUSH process enabled stable and reproducible production of fibres with high mechanical properties and CNF at pilot scale, confirming that Bio-LUSH laboratory concepts can be successfully scaled while maintaining control over key material properties.
Nanocellulose produced from Bio-LUSH fibres at laboratory and pilot scale are thoroughly evaluated, with particular attention to identifying the most promising formulations initially developed at lab scale. The properties of pilot-scale products will be compared against targeted performance requirements, and process parameters will be adapted where necessary. The processing conditions will be published after patent application.
Stable and reproducible results achieved will allow supplying material for downstream applications in fibre-based products development and their optimization, such as films and textile fibres.
Scaling up with quality and repeatability in focus
To support this next step, VTT, with technical support from partners, will transfer the biomass fractionation process developedby Empa and PaperPlat to a larger operational scale. Process conditions will be re-optimised at this scale, and the resulting materials will be fully characterised using state-of-the-art techniques, including:
• Morphological analysis using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM);
• Residual fibre analysis;
• Rheological characterization;
• Mechanical properties of the fibers extracted from various biomass resources.
This comprehensive characterisation is essential to ensure high quality, batch-to-batch repeatability, and the performance required for targeted end uses in films and textile fibres.
In parallel, Empa will further upscale the production of cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) from Bio-LUSH fibres using its pilot CNF production facilities, reinforcing the project’s capacity to bridge laboratory research with industrially relevant processing.
Toward Bio-LUSH’s technological outcomes
By the end of the project, Bio-LUSH aims to deliver a pilot-scale demonstration of the production of fibres, nanofibres, lignin nanofibres, and holocellulose nanofibres derived from underutilised biomass feedstocks identified within the project. The successful 10 L piloting demonstrated at Empa represents a key step toward this goal, providing a solid foundation for larger-scale trials and downstream validation.
The General Assembly in Dübendorf highlighted how close collaboration between research infrastructures and industrial partners is enabling Bio-LUSH to translate sustainable biomass valorisation concepts into robust, scalable, and application-ready material solutions.
