Blow moulding 100 %
Blow moulding 100 % biobased PET bottle closer to reality Commercializing cost-competitive renewable aromatics Momentum is building as Anellotech, headquartered at Pearl River New York, USA, moves closer to commercializing its Bio-TCat TM catalytic technology and developing a 100 % biobased PET bottle. A sustainable technology company, Anellotech is focused on the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Their Bio-TCat technology uses efficient thermal catalytic processes to converts biomass feedstocks materials (e.g. wood, sawdust, sugar cane bagasse, and other non-food materials) into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. They can be used in a range of chemical applications and as a biofuels blendstock for gasoline. The first shipment of BTX has recently been sent to joint development partners IFPEN and its subsidiary Axens (both Rueil-Malmaison, Paris, France) for purification studies to make bio-paraxylene – the key aromatic chemical needed to make 100% renewable beverage bottles a reality. Bioparaxylene from TCat-8 ® will be used to make purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and subsequently 100% bio-based PET bottles a reality. The other monomer, monoethylene glycol (MEG) to make fully biobased PET is already commercially available made from sugar cane. BTX aromatics are currently used to make commodity plastics such as polyester, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes, which are subsequently used to manufacture consumer goods such as food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components – as well as beverage bottles. Creating biobased BTX aromatics from renewable materials could dramatically alter the basic raw material sourcing for a wide range of consumer goods with important sustainability implications for society. Striving for 100 % bio-based Anellotech knows that strategic collaboration is key for faster and more efficient technology development. One of their main partnerships is with global consumer beverage company Suntory (Minato, Tokyo, Japan). Anellotech has collaborated with them since 2012 to advance development and commercialization of cost-competitive bio-aromatics, including bio-paraxylene. Suntory currently uses plant-derived MEG (30 %) for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui ® brands. Together, the two companies want to create a 100 % biobased PET bottle through this alliance, part of their joint commitment to sustainable business practices. Work is progressing to make this a reality. The first steps towards making prototype bottles have already begun. Since the announcement of a successful two-week continuous 18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/18] Vol. 13
Blow moulding trial in March 2018 in Anellotech’s pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas, USA, over 1,200 hours of cumulative on-stream time have been achieved at TCat-8, while BTX has been generated for product testing and evaluation and process development data collected for future commercial plant design. David Sudolsky, President & CEO of Anellotech, said “Following our announcements earlier this year on process development and continuous operation, we are glad that significant progress continues at our TCat-8 pilot plant. We continue to move the technology towards commercialization and shipping the pilot plant’s product for downstream evaluation is another major milestone. Having collaborated with Suntory since 2012 to advance development of costcompetitive bio-aromatics, we hope bio-based plastics made from our Bio-TCat process and a 100 % biobased (PET) bottle soon become a reality.” Anellotech is keen to partner with other innovative consumer product companies and brand owners aiming to meet sustainability goals with a low carbon footprint technology using non-food biomass feedstock. Producing BTX aromatics using the Bio-TCat technology can dramatically reduce industrial carbon footprints and provide a reliable and economical source of bio-aromatics. A biobased future is a more sustainable future If the industry can ensure performance, delivery and quality, the renewable chemicals sector will help take biobased chemicals into the mainstream. Anellotech is confident that biobased plastics made from its Bio-TCat process are becoming ever-closer to commercial status and they hope the dream for a 100 % bio-based bottle soon becomes a reality. MT www.anellotech.com Join us at the 13th European Bioplastics Conference – the leading business forum for the bioplastics industry. 4/5 December 2018 Titanic Chaussee Hotel Berlin, Germany REGISTER NOW! @EUBioplastics #eubpconf www.european-bioplastics.org/events For more information email: conference@european-bioplastics.org bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/18] Vol. 13 19
