Anellotech licenses p-xylene technology from UMass Amherst

Anellotech Inc. a technology-based company focusing on low cost green petrochemicals and renewable fuels, has announced the signing of an exclusive license agreement amendment with University of Massachusetts-Amherst. The agreement adds a new technology capability to Anellotech’s core catalytic fast pyrolysis process that triples the amount of p-xylene produced from non-food biomass.

P-xylene is a critical feedstock for making PET (polyethylene terephthalate) which is used to make plastic bottles, clothing, carpeting, automotive and other products. Currently, some 54 million tons of PET is manufactured globally, nearly 100 percent coming from petroleum-based products. Today, about one third of PET is used to produce recyclable plastic bottles, which are identified by the number “1” inside the triangular recycling insignia on labels. There is no commercial production of renewable p-xylene on the market today.

…Full Text: http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/8370/anellotech-licenses-p-xylene-technology-from-umass-amherst

Tags: catalytic fast pyrolysis (GFP), benzene, toluene, xylenes, olefins, economical production, green ethylene glycol, lignocellulosic biomass