MTRAC Award supports NatSci researcher's work to transform $165 billion pulp and paper industry

trueBiochemistry,College of Natural Science10/20/2023MTRAC Award supports NatSci researcher's work to transform $165 billion pulp and paper industry

Michigan State University biochemist Eric Hegg has shown promising results for a more environmentally friendly and more efficient process for creating pulp and paper. Now, the MSU Innovation Center has chosen his project for a Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Award to move this research forward. The $125,000 award will help fund his research project, “Adapting a Novel, Patented Process to Deconstruct Woody Biomasses to Add Value to Pulp Production.”

The United States is a major player in the pulp and paper industry, which is valued at $165B.
The current process for creating these materials is energy-intensive, generates a lot of waste, and burns a valuable renewable source called lignin.
MSU biochemist Eric Hegg aims to make this process more efficient for the industry and better for the environment.

Mollie Newman

Lignin (L) and pulp (R) from the Hegg’s new copper-alkaline hydrogen peroxide (Cu-AHP) pre-treatment process.

biochemistry and molecular biologygrant awardnew technologypre-treatment technoloogy