Brazil-based Braskem and Denmark-based Haldor Topsoe\u00a0just commissioned their pioneering demonstration unit, located in Denmark, for the development of monoethylene glycol (MEG) from sugar. Their innovation for renewable plastic made from sugar instead of traditional fossil fuels has been getting attention and this news marks a decisive step forward towards the goal of producing renewable MEG on an industrial scale.<\/p>\n
Background
\nIn case you didn\u2019t know, Braskem is America\u2019s largest resin producer and a world leading biopolymer producer. Haldor Topsoe is a global leader in catalysts and technology for the chemical and refining industries.<\/p>\n
Announced in 2017, the cooperation agreement between Braskem and Haldor Topsoe focuses on developing a new technology for converting sugar into MEG at a single industrial unit, which reduces the initial investment in production and consequently makes the process more competitive. So this news is like a marriage made in heaven. And their cute little baby is named MEG. Except MEG is big.<\/p>\n
The Mega MEG market
\nSo what\u2019s so big and great about MEG? MEG is an important raw material for industrial applications \u2013 like for making polyester (PET) resins, films and fibers. You know, the stuff that\u2019s used all the time in textile and packaging industries, and especially for making plastic PET bottles.<\/p>\n
According to Braskem, the global market for MEG currently is at around $25 billion and this joint bio-based MEG plant is a major step forward in improving the sustainability of PET plastic packaging and reducing carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
The demo unit
\nThe demo unit built in Denmark has annual production capacity of hundreds of tons of glycolaldehyde, a substance that is converted into MEG. The goal is for the plant to convert various raw materials, such as sucrose, dextrose and second-generation sugars, into MEG. Currently, the compound is made from fossil-based feedstocks, such as naphtha, gas or coal.<\/p>\n
Starting next year, clients will receive samples to test in their products.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaldor Topsoe is a global leader in catalytic solutions and is driven to maintain its leadership in the renewable energy industry. We are pleased to embark, together with Braskem, on the next phase of the validation of the MOSAIK solution for producing biobased MEG. Our goal is to show that innovative catalytic technologies can make chemical products from biomass a commercially attractive option,\u201d said Kim Knudsen, executive officer at Haldor Topsoe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe process for developing renewable MEG in partnership with Haldor Topsoe represents a major advance in competitiveness for Green PET. The partnership strengthens the leading role we play and adds value to our I\u2019m green\u2122 portfolio, which already features Green Polyethylene and Green EVA, both made from sugarcane. It also will further corroborate our vision of using biopolymers as a way to capture carbon, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,\u201d explained Gustavo Sergi, director of Renewable Chemicals at Braskem.<\/p>\n
The technology
\nMOnoSAccharide Industrial Cracker \u2013 or MOSAIK \u2013 is a solution for cracking of sugars to an intermediary product which can be further converted to MEG or other biochemicals, such as methyl vinyl glycolate or glycolic acid, using Haldor Topsoe\u2019s patented processes and catalysts.<\/p>\n
Current processes to produce MEG from biomass involve several steps. This can be reduced to two simple steps with MOSAIK and Topsoe\u2019s unique catalyst and technology for the production of MEG. The new solution brings down investment costs and boosts productivity to a level, where it can compete on commercial terms with traditional production from fossil feedstock (naphtha).<\/p>\n
Innovation Fund Denmark has co-financed the development and upscaling of MOSAIK.<\/p>\n
Making MEG
\nUnlike the process to create a baby or the love filled Valentine\u2019s week, making MEG is often about breaking things down, not joining them together. And Braskem hasn\u2019t been the only one working on MEG. As reported in NUU in March 2018, France-based CARBIOS has demonstrated an enzymatic depolymerization process for polyester terephthalate polyester fibers from textile waste. The process broke down the material into its original monomers: terephthalic acid and monoethylene glycol.<\/p>\n
CARBIOS says that polyester accounts for half of the overall fiber market. \u201cEach year, 43 million tons of PET is produced for the fiber market, compared to 15 million tons dedicated to the production of plastic bottles,\u201d the company says.<\/p>\n
\u201cTurning unwanted polyester textiles into high quality raw materials for new products using CARBIOS enzymatic technology is an opportunity for completely changing textile manufacturing and trade in Europe and beyond,\u201d says Alain MARTY, Chief Scientific Officer of CARBIOS. \u201cFrom a sustainable perspective, our approach will significantly improve the overall life cycle impact of textile products.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even Avantium is in on the action with their retaking of full ownership of its YXY plants-to-plastics technology through the purchase of BASF\u2019s shares in the Synvina joint venture. Avantium\u2019s renewable chemistry programs include the Mekong technology, which transforms sugars into plant-based monoethylene glycol (MEG) used in the production of materials including renewable plastics and polyesters.<\/p>\n
Bottom Line
\nFrom Braskem\u2019s sugarcane-based EVA used in flip-flop sandals to the first polyethylene of renewable origin to be produced in the world that is applied to coffee pillow packs and their \u2018I\u2019m green\u2019 polyethylene (PE) biopolymer, Braskem sees the huge market for biochem and bioplastics and are taking action on it. While still a petrochemical company, they see the way of the future and this demo plant is a step towards the alternative biobased solutions path. We are sure there is more to come from them and others on MEG in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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