ADM and DuPont open a FDME pilot plant in Illinois

By -


Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.

FDME (Furan Dicarboxylic Methyl Ester) is a new biobased chemical building block with potential to replace petroleum-based materials. Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and DuPont Industrial Biosciences (DuPont) unveiled a breakthrough process to produce this molecule in 2016.
More details in this blog post: “FDME and PTF – Emerging stars on the bioplastics horizon”, 31/8/2017.

The companies aim to bring this game-changing technology to commercial scale as quickly as possible. As a relevant milestone to achieve that final goal, the companies have just announced the opening of the world’s first FDME pilot production facility in Decatur (Illinois, USA). The plant is the centerpiece of a long-standing collaboration that will help bring a greater variety of sustainably sourced biomaterials into the lives of consumers (see press release, 30/4/2018). According to previous information, the capacity of the plant is 60 ton/y.

Figure 1. FDME pilot plant (extracted from the press release)

One of the first FDME-based polymers under development by DuPont is polytrimethylene furandicarboxyate (PTF). Research shows that PTF has up to 10-15 times the CO2 barrier performance of traditional PET plastic. In this way, for packaging applications, it could be used to create plastic bottles that are lighter-weight, more sustainable and better performing.

Popular Posts

Biorefinery models - Lignocellulosic biorefinery

By -
Image
Publication date: 25/04/2016 Last update: 25/04/2016 ABOUT THE SERIES OF POSTS “BIOREFINERY MODELS” This post belongs to a series called “ Biorefinery Models ”. This series is devoted to briefly describe the models or concepts of advanced biorefineries which have emerged in the last few years and that are rising currently. These models are simplified representations which enable us to understand in a simple way the structure and characteristics of a general biorefinery type. Some of these models refer to the type of feedstock while other focus on the technologies involved. A biorefinery may resemble these models or be the result of variations and combinations of them. It should be noted that although these paradigms are very useful and instructive, they show limitations in describing and classifying complex systems with high level of integration. In order to define and describe a specific complex case, the blog recommends use the classification proposed by IEA Bioenerg...
Read more

Novozymes launches platform to convert corn fiber into ethanol

By -
Image
Versión en Español Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.  Novozymes has launched Fiberex, a comprehensive platform based on novel enzymes and yeast strains to convert corn fiber into ethanol.  Press release: “ New biological platform converts corn fiber into ethanol ”, 16/09/2020.  Website: Fiberex® platform - Reimagining ethanol .  Related posts: “ Corn fiber ethanol – Examining 1.5G technologies ”, 26/4/2017. Figure 1. Fiberex platform (taken from the company website)  Typically, the starch in a corn kernel is converted into ethanol while the rest of the kernel ends up as low-value animal feed. In this remaining part of the kernel, there is a high amount of corn fiber with little to no value to the animals. Corn fiber is made up of similar building blocks as starch but is tough to break down and convert into something more useful. Fiberex is specifically aimed at breaking down tough fibers in the corn, providing producers with greater operational flexibility. ...
Read more

Hidrotratamiento (HVO) – Conceptos, materias primas y especificaciones

By -
Image
English version Sección: BIOCOMBUSTIBLES AVANZADOS Serie: HVO - Hidrotratamiento (HVO) – Conceptos, materias primas y especificaciones - Hidrotratamiento(HVO) – Ventajas sobre el biodiesel convencional y propiedades - Biorrefinerías de Aceites Vegetales Hidrotatados (HVO) – El auge del diésel renovable - Entradas: HVO                El acrónimo HVO significa en inglés “ Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils ” (“Aceites Vegetales Hidrotratados”) o ” Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils ” (“Aceites Vegetales Hidrogenados”). Clave del proceso: Tratamiento con hidrógeno. En el proceso de producción de HVO, el hidrógeno se usa para eliminar el oxígeno de los triglicéridos produciendo una mezcla de parafinas lineales, CO 2 y agua. Posteriormente, el producto de la primera etapa se isomeriza, siempre en presencia de hidrógeno, para ramificar las cadenas lineales con el propósito de mejorar las propieda...
Read more

FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid) biorefineries

By -
Image
Publication date: 15/06/2017 Last update: 24/01/2018 Introduction 1,2,3,4,5 2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), also known as dehydromucic acid and pyromucic acid, is an organic compound that was first detected in human urine. In fact, a healthy human produces 3-5 mg/day. It is a very stable compound. Some of its physical properties, such as insolubility in most of common solvents and a very high melting point (it melts at 342 °C), seem to indicate intermolecular hydrogen bonding. FDCA has two carboxylic acid groups, which makes it a suitable monomer for polycondensation reactions with diols or diamines. It is one of the top 12 value-added biobased chemicals listed by the US DoE in 2004. The list was updated in 2010 and FDCA was included again, but this time in a group together with furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). Those three molecules are the main representatives of the furanics (furan derivatives) that has been referred to as “Sleeping Giants” beca...
Read more

Levulinic acid biorefineries

By -
Image
Publication date: 16/11/2015 Last update: 20/02/2016 Description 1,2 Levulinic acid (also known as 4-oxopentanoic acid or γ-ketovaleric acid) is an organic compound with chemical formula C 5 H 8 O 3 . It is a white crystalline solid soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It contains ketone and a carboxylic group whose presence results in interesting reactivity patterns. It is one of the more recognized Biobased Chemical Building Blocks , a starting material for a wide number of compounds (see Applications below). In fact, it was recognized by the US DoE as one of the top biobased platform chemicals of the future and it can successfully address many performance-related issues attributed to petroleum-based chemicals and materials. Process technologies 1,3,4,5 The controlled degradation of C6-sugars by acids is the most widely used approach to prepare levulinic acid from lignocellulosic biomass. Other methods have also been studied, for instance, the hydroly...
Read more