LIGNIN IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF TREES, BUT IT IS COMMONLY A LOW-VALUE WASTE BYPRODUCT OF BIOMASS PROCESSING.THIS GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A PROCESS TO EXTRACT LIGNIN FROM WOODY BIOMASS AND PROCESS THE LIGNIN INTO SMALL PARTICLES (MICROPARTICLES).WE WILL TEST SEVERAL PARAMETERS SUCH AS TEMPERATURE, BIOMASS FEED RATE, AND REACTION TIME TO DETERMINE OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR LIGNIN EXTRACTION AND MICROPARTICLE FORMATION.WE WILL THEN TEST A SUITE OF 40 ENZYMES FROM DIFFERENT MICROORGANISMS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO ADD CHEMICALS TO THE SURFACE OF THE MICROPARTICLES, WHICH CAN CHANGE THE MICROPARTICLESTABILITY, HYDROPHOBICITY, ADHESIVE STRENGTH, AND WATER RESISTANCE. THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP NEW APPLICATIONS FOR LIGNIN, WHICH COULD BE INAS ADHESIVES, COATINGS, PLASTICS, CONSUMER CARE PRODUCTS, AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, THUS TURNING A WASTE STREAM INTO A VALUABLE PRODUCT.