Enzymes in functionalisation of lignin-rich fibres

Upgrading of fibre material in order to enhance the value or properties of traditional paper and board products is a constant challenge for the pulping industry. The presence of surface lignin in pulp fibres offers an interesting possibility to the use oxidative enzymes such as laccases in targeted modification of lignin-rich pulps. In the novel chemo-enzymatic functionalisation method the enzymatic radical formation is exploited in fibre activation and further functionalisation, i.e. bonding of new, desired chemical components to the fibre material. Chemo-enzymatic functionalisation opens up new perspectives both in current fibre product processing and in use of wood pulps as a raw material in novel application areas. The mechanisms and factors affecting the functionalisation of lignin-rich fibres have been clarified in order to fully exploit the novel chemo-enzymatic functionalisation method