Lignin-based polymers with enhanced melt extrusion ability

1. A solid polymer blend material comprising:

(i) a lignin-acrylonitrile component containing a homogeneous blend of a lignin component and a nitrile butadiene rubber component, wherein the nitrile butadiene rubber component is present in an amount of 10-30 wt % of the solid polymer blend material; and

(ii) an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic component that is non-elastomeric;

wherein components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer blend material.

2. The polymer blend material of claim 1 , wherein the lignin component is present in an amount of 10-60 wt % by weight of the solid polymer blend material.

3. The polymer blend material of claim 1 , wherein the lignin component is present in an amount of 20-40 wt % by weight of the solid polymer blend material.

4. The polymer blend material of claim 1 , wherein said acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic component is present in an amount of 10-60 wt % by weight of the solid polymer blend material.

5. A method of producing an object made of a lignin-containing solid polymer blend material by melt extrusion, the method comprising:

(a) melt blending the following components: (i) a lignin-acrylonitrile component containing a homogeneous blend of a lignin component and a nitrile butadiene rubber component; and (ii) an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic component that is non-elastomeric, to form a melt of a polymer blend in which components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously blended, wherein the nitrile butadiene rubber component is present in an amount of 10-30 wt % of the polymer blend, and wherein the polymer blend exhibits a melt viscosity of no more than 2000 Pa·s at a shear rate of 100-1000 s −1 and when heated to a temperature of no more than 240° C.; and

(b) forming an object made of said polymer blend in solid form, wherein the polymer blend in solid form comprises: (i) said lignin-acrylonitrile component and (ii) said acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic component that is non-elastomeric; wherein components (i) and (ii) are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer blend material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein step (b) employs an extrusion process to form said object.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said extrusion process occurs in a heating chamber containing a nozzle, and pressure is induced on the melt of the polymer blend while the melt of the polymer blend is in said heating chamber to adjust the flow rate of the melt through the nozzle to result in the melt having a melt viscosity of no more than 2000 Pa·s.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said heating chamber is connected to a piston that induces pressure on the melt of the polymer blend as the piston pushes the melt through the nozzle.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein pressure is induced on the melt of the polymer blend by exerting pressure on a solid filament of the polymer blend material as the solid filament is fed into and melts inside said heating chamber, wherein the pressure pushes the solid filament into the heating chamber at a desired flow rate.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said extrusion process occurs in an additive manufacturing process.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein step (b) employs a casting process in which the melt is casted in a mold.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said casting process is an injection molding process.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said injection molding process is a resin transfer molding process.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said casting process is a compression molding process.

15. The method of claim 5 , wherein the lignin component is present in an amount of 10-60 wt % by weight of the solid polymer blend material.

16. The method of claim 5 , wherein the lignin component is present in an amount of 20-40 wt % by weight of the solid polymer blend material.

17. The method of claim 5 , wherein said acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic component is present in an amount of 10-60 wt % by weight of the solid polymer blend material.