Lower-Cost Biochemical Production Developed

DuPont and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) have developed a method for producing furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) from fructose—a development the companies say will allow them to manufacture consumer plastics using biomaterial in place of oil.

FDME is a high-purity derivative of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), one of the 12 building blocks identified by the U.S. Department of Energy that can be converted into a number of high-value, bio-based chemicals or materials to deliver high performance in a number of applications. According to DuPont, it has long been sought-after and researched, but to date has not been available at commercial scale and at reasonable cost.

The new FDME technology is a more efficient and simpler process than traditional conversion approaches and results in higher yields, lower energy usage and lower capital expenditures, the company says.

"It will enable cost-efficient production of a variety of 100% renewable, high-performance chemicals and polymers with applications across a broad range of industries," says Simon Herriot, global business director for biomaterials at DuPont.

One of the first polymers under development utilizing FDME is polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF). The polymer is a 100% recyclable molecule that, when used to make bottles and other beverage packages, substantially improves gas-barrier properties and product shelf life compared to other polyesters.

ADM and DuPont are scaling up the process of bringing FDME to market with plans to build an integrated 60 ton-per-year demonstration plant in Decatur, Illinois. This will provide potential customers with sufficient product quantities for testing and research.