Parot Maxime, Groupe du Pr. Stevanovic, image prise avec le microscope Keyence VHX-7000

Lignin represents about 30% of wood, contributes to its rigidity and protects it from bacteria. After extraction with the Organosol process, this lignin is dissolved in a solvent, then subjected to electrospinning. Electrospinning uses electrical force to stretch lignin into fiber. This technique creates micrometric filaments, which is what you see in the picture. In comparison, a hair is 5 to 10 times the size of one fibre in the picture. As it is, this mat is very brittle, you can break it just by touching it. But if it is heated to very high temperature, this lignin fiber mat will be turned into carbon fiber mat. An innovative material, much lighter and stronger than steel. Carbon fibers can, for example, be introduced into vehicle parts to consolidate them while making them lighter.

Research supervisor: Tatjana Stevanovic