Issue 04/2016

Blow Moulding
A new, cost-effective route
to PEF
Since the US Department of Energy named
2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as one of the
top 12 platform chemicals, it has been considered
a holy grail for bioplastics, alongside its downstream
polymer polyethylenefuranoate (PEF). However,
the road has been bumpy and the main challenge is to
find a process which allows price competitiveness with
petro-based alternatives. Brand owners also need to
get on board – Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle may replace all
its petro-based bottles by 2020 as promised, but more
brands need to make similar commitments.
However, we are one step closer to bringing FDCA
and PEF to market. A hydrothermal processing (HTP)
technology developed by Swiss biotechnology company
AVA-CO2 yields substantial advantages over other
technologies.
Other processes use highly-toxic methanol as
a solvent in dehydrating fructose which must be
eliminated by an extra, costly distillation and purification
step. Methanol-based processes also immediately
transform most of the 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-
HMF) into 5-MMF (Methoxymethylfurfural), which is
inefficient and impacts negatively on yields. AVA-CO2’s
process uses water as a solvent,
meaning a less costly,
more environmentallyfriendly
process,
which leads to
better LCA results
and significantly
higher yields.
AVA-CO2 also
recently announced
a simple
interface
which allows a
tailored use of
different solvents,
e.g. acetic
acid, in existing
FDCA oxidation
processes. This
solvent switch
allows 5-HMF
to be used as a
drop-in for purified
terephthalic
acid (PTA) pro-
Generic bottle picture (not PEF) (Shutterstock, HSNphotography)
duction plants. The HTP technology now supports the
main FDCA oxidation routes – biological, enzymatic,
chemical and electro-chemical oxidation of 5-HMF to
FDCA. This flexibility, in combination with AVA-CO2’s
innovative process, will make a difference in the race
to PEF.
Compared to PET, PEF is a more sustainable option,
with a 50 % less carbon footprint and better recyclability.
It also has many superior product characteristics –
with higher tensile strength and improved gas barriers
in oxygen, CO 2
and moisture, PEF allows for energy
savings and reductions in material use compared to
PET. This leads to a longer shelf life, thereby reducing
food waste.
Recent joint development announcements across the
value chain show that PEF is regarded as an important
strategic development. For AVA-CO2, a large-scale
sugar-based production plant (LSPP) is already in the
pipeline. Set to produce 30,000 tonnes/year of FDCA in
a first phase, the LSPP will ramp up to 120,000 tonnes/
year of FDCA at full capacity. Set to come online in
2019/2020, a first round of financing for the plant has
already been completed by AVA-
CO2.
AVA-CO2 is in talks
with industry leaders
to develop
new downstream
chemistry pathways
and exploit
the potential of
5-HMF, FDCA
and PEF. The
LSPP will accelerate
market
development
of 100 %
sugar-based
beverage and
food packaging.
Through
PEF, sugarbased
chemicals
and polymers
for the
mass market
are just around
the corner. MT
www.ava-co2.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11 17