Method for preparing an activated lignin composition

A method for manufacturing a high pressure laminate comprising a step of preparing a core layer and a step of pressing said core layer in a press using an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure, wherein said step of preparing said core layer comprises impregnating a paper with a resin mixture and constructing a stack of resin impregnated papers, wherein said resin mixture comprises a lignin-phenol formaldehyde resin prepared with lignin methylolation and phenol methylolation steps, said step of lignin methylolation comprises:

• i) providing a liquid lignin having free active hydrogen positions;
• ii) heating said liquid lignin to a temperature in a range of 60° C. to 85° C.;
• iii) adding formaldehyde to said heated liquid lignin under stirring conditions, wherein the formaldehyde is added in a stoichiometric excess ratio of >1:1 relative to the lignin's free active hydrogen positions;
• iv) maintaining the temperature of the mixture according to iii) in a range of 60° C. to 85° C., during a time period of at least 10 minutes thereby obtaining an activated lignin composition,
• said step of phenol methylolation comprises:
• v) optionally heating said activated lignin composition of step iv) to a temperature in a range of 50° C. to 90° C.;
• vi) adding phenol to said activated lignin composition;
• vii) adjusting the temperature of the mixture of step vi) to be within the range of 60° C. to 90° C.;
• viii) adding formaldehyde to said mixture of step vii),
• ix) comprising of heating and maintaining the mixture of step viii) at a temperature in a range 50° C. to 80° C., during a period of time of at least 10 minutes, thereby obtaining said lignin-phenol formaldehyde resin.