Renewable Chemical Platforms and Biobased Materials
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Next Generation Green Chemical Platforms
ID: 5138
Abstract: Growing consumer demand for environmentally-friendly products combined with continuous pressure from advocates and regulators has led to the development of an entirely new generation of green chemical production platforms. This panel will bring together leaders from three companies with distinct platforms to offer an overview of their respective technologies and discuss recent developments, trends and other issues. It will be moderated by industry veteran Jim Barber, Metabolix's former President and Chief Executive Officer and recipient of the American Chemical Society Henry F. Whalen Jr. Award.
Dr. Rakitsky will discuss Solazyme’s microalgae production platform which produces linear fatty acids and esters that can readily be converted through biological or chemical routes to numerous value-added chemicals, such as surfactants, lubricants and polymers. These lipids are highly tailorable, boast consistency and versatility, and surpass supply, affordability and quality issues found with other natural oil sources.
Patrick Fuertes will discuss Roquette’s BioHub® program, which seeks to develop new channels of production for chemical products based on renewable agricultural raw materials such as cereals. The program is led by Roquette in partnership with seven other industrial entities, including the chemical companies Arkema (France), DSM (Pays-Bas), SOLVAY (Belgium) and Cognis (Germany), the roadway-design company Eurovia (Vinci Group), and Sidel, a company specialized in polymer-bottling systems. Among the products arising from this research program, isosorbide and its derivatives lead to promising development of new engineered biopolymers, biosolvents, bioplastics, and bioplasticizers. Isosorbide can cost effectively replace fossil based chemicals for polymers, and it’s unique chemical structure can also bring outstanding properties of the new polymers. Isosorbide di-esters are probably the only phatalate free plasticizers which exhibit equivalent performance of existing PVC phtalates plasticizers. Thanks to these results isosorbide could play a significant role for the development of new biobased materials.
Jim Stoppert will discuss Rivertop’s catalytic platform chemistry. Built on breakthroughs in oxidation technology, the platform is efficient, scalable, non-polluting and capable of producing glucaric acid and other aldaric acids from C6 and C5 sugars. The chemicals are directly applicable as chelators, corrosion inhibitors and water reducers. They also serve as building block monomers for creating new gels, films and flocculants. Rivertop’s chemicals will serve capital-constrained formulators who are increasingly seeking green chemical ingredients without sacrificing performance.
Cost-effective production, direct applicability and regulatory drivers will enable Rivertop to introduce glucaric acid by late 2011. Glucaric acid is among the top 12 bio-based chemical building blocks identified by the Department of Energy. Thousands of patents call for its use. Rivertop’s platform chemistry will be the first to enable broad commercialization of glucaric acid and other versatile, cost-competitive aldaric acids.
Moderator: Jim Barber, Barber Advisors LLC (United States)
Presenter 1: Next Generation Green Chemicals from Microalgae
Walter Rakitsky, Solazyme, Inc., (United States) [Confirmed]
Presenter 2: Isosorbide as a New Green Building Block For Polymers and Plasticizers
Patrick Fuertes, ROQUETTE FRERES, (France) [Confirmed]
Presenter 3: Low-Cost Glucaric Acid for Direct and Polymer Applications
Jim Stoppert, Rivertop Renewables, Inc, (United States) [Confirmed]
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Panel Organizer:
Stephanie Tabor, , (United States)
Why should your submission should be selected for this year’s program?
This panel brings together three thought leaders with varying technologies and perspectives in the renewable chemicals space, moderated by one of the industry's top voices.