First bio-based FDME pilot plant opens – First biobased FDME pilot plant - Arhive
First bio-based FDME pilot plant opens
By Scott Jenkins
The world’s first pilot plant for manufacturing bio-based furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) began operating last month in Decatur, Ill.
A collaboration between DuPont Industrial Biosciences (Wilmington, Del.; www.biosciences.dupont.com) and Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM; Chicago, Ill.; www.adm.com), the 60-ton/yr pilot facility represents the next step in an ongoing commercialization process for bio-based FDME (see Chem. Eng., March 2016, p. 9; www.chemengonline.com/collaboration-lowers-cost-bio-based-fdme-process).
Bio-based FDME is made from cornstarch-derived fructose starting material, and will be used to make a range of bio-based chemicals and plastics. The fructose is dehydrated and the products from the reaction are oxidized to form furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The FDCA is then reacted with methanol, resulting in FDME. DuPont and ADM say plastics derived from bio-based FDME will ultimately be more cost-effective, efficient and sustainable than their petroleum-based counterparts.
One of the first FDME-based polymers under development by DuPont is polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF), a novel polyester also made from DuPont’s proprietary Bio-PDO (1,3-propanediol). PTF is a 100% renewable polymer, DuPont and ADM say, that, in bottling applications, can be used to create plastic bottles that are lighter-weight, more sustainable and better performing. Research by the two companies shows that PTF has up to 10–15 times the CO 2 barrier performance of traditional PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic, which results in a longer shelf life. Improved barrier performance could allow lighter-weight packaging designs for beverages.
The two companies say they hope to further scale up the FDME production process in the coming months.
Related Topics