Patents by Inventor Sanna Valkonen

Sanna Valkonen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11891410
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) dissolving lignin into an aqueous composition, which contains a compound selected from the class of phenols, while keeping the temperature of the composition at 0-16° C.; and b) allowing the composition to react while keeping the temperature of the composition at 60-100° C. and the pH of the composition at a pH valise of 6-14. The invention relates further to a method for producing a binder composition and to different applications thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Publication number: 20230339998
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) dissolving lignin into an aqueous composition, which contains a compound selected from the class of phenols, while keeping the temperature of the composition at 0-60° C.; and b) allowing the composition to react while keeping the temperature of the composition at 60-100° C. and the pH of the composition at a pH value of 6-14. The invention relates further to a method for producing a binder composition and to different applications thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Suvi PIETARINEN, Sanna VALKONEN, Okko RINGENA
  • Patent number: 11453810
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 30-70° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Okko Ringena, Kati Oinonen, Sanna Valkonen
  • Publication number: 20220251127
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) dissolving lignin into an aqueous composition, which contains a compound selected from the class of phenols, while keeping the temperature of the composition at 0-6° C.; and b) allowing the composition to react while keeping the temperature of the composition at 60-100° C. and the pH of the composition at a pH value of 6-14. The invention relates further to a method for producing a binder composition and to different applications thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Suvi PIETARINEN, Sanna VALKONEN, Okko RINGENA
  • Publication number: 20220195272
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 30-70° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Suvi PIETARINEN, Okko RINGENA, Kati OINONEN, Sanna VALKONEN
  • Patent number: 10894855
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 71-94° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Patent number: 10814521
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a fiber based product, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) applying a binder composition over at least one surface of at least one fiber based substrate; b) determining the distribution of the applied binder composition over the entire at least one surface of the at least one fiber based substrate; and c) based on the determination in step b) either accepting the treated at least one fiber based substrate for the production of the fiber based product or rejecting the treated at least one fiber based substrate from the production of the fiber based product. The invention further relates to a method for producing a binder composition, to a binder composition and to a fiber based product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Publication number: 20200040022
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) dissolving lignin into an aqueous composition, which contains a compound selected from the class of phenols, while keeping the temperature of the composition at 0-16° C.; and b) allowing the composition to react while keeping the temperature of the composition at 60-100° C. and the pH of the composition at a pH valise of 6-14. The invention relates further to a method for producing a binder composition and to different applications thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Suvi PIETARINEN, Sanna VALKONEN, Okko RINGENA
  • Patent number: 10487101
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) dissolving lignin into an aqueous composition, which contains a compound selected from the class of phenols, while keeping the temperature of the composition at 0-60° C.; and b) allowing the composition to react while keeping the temperature of the composition at 60-100° C. and the pH of the composition at a pH value of 6-14. The invention relates further to a method for producing a binder composition and to dissolve lignin into an aqueous composition different applications thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Publication number: 20190185608
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 71-94° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Publication number: 20190177585
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 30-70° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Suvi PIETARINEN, Okko RINGENA, Kati OINONEN, Sanna VALKONEN
  • Publication number: 20190160703
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a fiber based product, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) applying a binder composition over at least one surface of at least one fiber based substrate; b) determining the distribution of the applied binder composition over the en-tire at least one surface of the at least one fiber based substrate; and c) based on the determination in step b) either accepting the treated at least one fiber based substrate for the production of the fiber based product or rejecting the treated at least one fiber based substrate from the production of the fiber based product. The invention further relates to a method for producing a binder composition, to a binder composition and to a fiber based product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Patent number: 10301437
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) dissolving lignin into an aqueous composition, which contains a compound selected from the class of phenols and alkali, while keeping the temperature of the composition at 40-85° C., wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the composition at a temperature, which is higher than the temperature of the composition in step a), with the proviso that the temperature of the composition does not exceed 100° C., while keeping the pH of the composition at a pH value of 6-14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Patent number: 10293516
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a fiber based product, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) applying a binder composition over a at least one surface of at least one fiber based substrate; b) determining the distribution of the applied binder composition over the en-tire at least one surface of the at least one fiber based substrate; and c) based on the determination in step b) either accepting the treated at least one fiber based substrate for the production of the fiber based product or rejecting the treated at least one fiber based substrate from the production of the fiber based product. The invention further relates to a method for producing a binder composition, to a binder composition and to a fiber based product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Patent number: 10259903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 71-94° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Sanna Valkonen, Okko Ringena
  • Patent number: 10246619
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the reactivity of lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) forming, under heating at a temperature of 30-70° C., an aqueous dispersion comprising alkali and lignin, wherein the alkali comprises a hydroxide of an alkali metal; and b) heating the dispersion formed in step a) at a temperature of 50-95° C. for producing alkalated lignin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suvi Pietarinen, Okko Ringena, Kati Eskelinen, Sanna Valkonen
  • Patent number: 10017636
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a binder composition, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (i) forming an aqueous composition comprising reactant components including lignin molecules of 11-60 lignin units, lignin molecules of 1-10 lignin units, polymerizable substance and crosslinking agent in the presence of a catalyst; and (ii) cooking the composition at a temperature of 60-95° C. for polymerizing the reactant components until a binder composition with a predetermined viscosity value is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sanna Valkonen, Suvi Pietarinen, Okko Ringena, Kati Oinonen
  • Patent number: 9982004
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering low molecular weight lignin from a filtrate, wherein the low molecular weight lignin includes lignin molecules having a molecular weight of 3000 g/mol or lower, wherein the filtrate is obtained from a process where lignin is precipitated from black liquor and the formed precipitate is separated therefrom by filtration resulting in the filtrate including low molecular weight lignin being formed, and wherein the method includes the following steps: a) adjusting the pH of the filtrate to a value of 3-4 for precipitating lignin in the filtrate; b) separating the precipitated lignin from the filtrate; c) reslurrying the separated lignin until the dry solids content of the slurry is 25-40 weight-% and adjusting the pH of the slurry to a value of 2-3; d) washing the slurry; and e) separating the lignin from the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sanna Valkonen, Kati Oinonen, Juha-Pekka Koitto, Jenni Leppänen
  • Patent number: 9896469
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fractionating lignin, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (i) dissolving lignin into a mixture containing organic solvent and water; and (ii) ultrafiltrating the mixture formed in step (i) through one or more filtration membranes for producing a predetermined number of lignin fractions, wherein each fraction contains lignin with a molecular weight within a predetermined range. The present invention further relates to a lignin fraction and to the uses thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kati Eskelinen, Sanna Valkonen, Suvi Pietarinen
  • Patent number: 9580593
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fiber reinforced composite comprising a reinforcing constituent of fibers embedded in a resin matrix, wherein the resin matrix comprises epoxy resin crosslinked with aminated lignin. The invention further relates to a method for the production of a fiber reinforced composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sanna Valkonen, Matthias Baaske, Sabrina Mehlhase, Roland Klein, Markus Biesalski, Matthias Rehahn, Michael Duetsch, Okko Ringena