Michael Saltzberg, global business director of Biomaterials, DuPont Industrial Biosciences, updated industry leaders last week on the latest technologies in biomaterials from DuPont and future trends in the industry at the 2017 Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.
Saltzberg, speaking during the Industry Horizons Forum panel, will discuss DuPont’s heritage in breakthrough solutions, such as DuPont Sorona technology for apparel and carpeting, and showcase a recent collaboration with ADM on a process to produce furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) from fructose (corn syrup).
This renewably derived FDME will serve as a building block that can be used to create a variety of h bio-based chemicals or materials that can deliver high performance across numerous applications, a release stated.
One polymer in development using FDME is polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF), a new form of polyester that will combine the renewably sourced molecule with a DuPont proprietary biomaterial.
The 100-percent renewable and recyclable, PTF represents what the company sees as a sea change. It will, for example, significantly improve the gas-barrier properties of bottles (compared to other polyesters), thus improving the shelf life of any number of products in the beverage packaging industry.
“We’ve seen enormous success in the marketplace for Bio-PDO, and FDME and PTF are a promising extension of that technology,” stated. Saltzberg. “Every day DuPont is proving the tangible value of the bioeconomy – not only are these renewably sourced materials more sustainable, they’re fulfilling our imperative that bio-products are better performing and a better value for our customers.”
Bio-PDO, a whas been produced in the United States for a decade by DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts, a joint venture between DuPont Industrial Biosciences and Tate & Lyle, a British agribusienss and food ingredients company. With this polyester, DuPont has been able to create numerous new technologies and applications, notably, Sorona.
The biopolymer contains 37 percent annually renewable plant-based ingredients, uses 30 percent less energy and releases 63 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production of nylon. It is used in residential and commercial carpets, apparel and automotive mats and carpets and offers the highest bio-based content in the synthetic carpet fiber market, as well as durability and stain resistance. It also is available as a thermoplastic polymer that can be used for automotive parts and other products.
It is used in residential and commercial carpets, apparel and automotive mats and carpets and offers the highest bio-based content in the synthetic carpet fiber market, as well as durability and stain resistance. It also is available as a thermoplastic polymer that can be used for automotive parts and other products.
John Pieper, who leads DuPont Industrial Biosciences’ corn stover feedstock work stream, which is the supply chain for DuPont’s Iowa-based cellulosic ethanol biorefinery, is also speaking at the event.
Pieper previously appeared on a panel on “The Sustainable Agriculture Imperative.discussed DuPont learnings in the field related to supply chain development for its advanced biofuels plant, the largest in the world with the capacity to produce 30 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol.
He discussed supply chain development for its advanced biofuels plant, the largest in the world with the capacity to produce 30 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol. The Iowa plant uses stover left over from the harvest of ears of corn.
