Developing Bio-based Solutions for Eco-friendly Pavement Infrastructures

Project team: Leonidas Matsakas
Partners: KTH (Project leader); Lund University, Chalmers University of Technology
Duration: 2024-2028
Funded by: Kompetenscentrum Vägteknik

About the project:

Road construction today depends heavily on petroleum-based asphalt, a practice that drains finite fossil resources and increases environmental pressures. This project sets out to change that by developing bio-asphalt made with lignin, a natural and abundantly available polymer found in plant cell walls.

By transforming lignin from residual biomass into a high-performance substitute for both crude oil–based binders and mineral aggregates, we aim to unlock its untapped potential. The research focuses on creating innovative bio-binders from organosolv lignin and its derivatives, understanding how its structural characteristics can be tuned for superior asphalt performance, and designing next-generation asphalt mixtures that combine bio-binders, lignin, and virgin aggregates. In addition, we will analyze how these mixtures behave at the microscopic level and produce practical guidelines that support industrial-scale adoption.

The project paves the way for greener, more sustainable roads, reducing reliance on fossil fuels while driving the transition toward circular, bio-based construction materials.