RadiciGroup Developing Fully Renewable Spandex

RadiciGroup subsidiary RadiciSpandex has achieved the world’s first renewable elastane, also known as Spandex. Elastane is produced from propylene, which is usually produced from oil. The product developed by RadiciSpandex is 80% biobased, from corn. In a press release, RadiciSpandex claim that overal, the biobased production process generates less CO2 than the oil-based process. The bioelastane fiber also has good performance, being easy to process and more stretchable, making the development useful to manufacturers and consumers. The development of “greenness” in the product catered to consumer demands for more eco-friendly textiles.

RadiciSpandex CEO, Marty Moran:

" The demand of the market at large, and particularly the personal care and textile sectors, which are our target markets, is increasingly leaning towards so-called "green" products that help protect the environment. This is the direction we are focusing our efforts on."

Roquette’s Gaialene Receives Industry Recognition as Biomaterial of the Year

The Gaialene resin received an innovation award from the Nova Institut and Coperion. Over 50% of the plastic’s total mass is produced from biobased starch and is fully recyclable, which reduces the carbon footprint of the product. Gaialene is also suited to a number of different manufacturing processes, from film blowing or injection molding, without changes to manufacturers existing equipment. The performance of Gaialene in existing products is identical to that of many existing petrochemical plastics, such as polyolefins. What the judges believe sets Gaialene apart, however are its properties as summed up by Jean Michael Lehembre, the CVP chairman: "The material gives us an appearance result that is quite amazing. We obtain a soft touch without the need for any additive."

JBEI researchers Balance Survival and Yield for Biotech Microbes

Biobased chemicals and fuels are often produced in microbes, but these products are often toxic to microbes, which limits their output. Chemist Aindrila Mukhopadhyay, of the DOE’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), has been working on a way around this by screening and genetically engineering a library of molecular “pumps” which constantly remove these toxic products from the cell, increasing the cell’s tolerance to these products. As a consequence, using this technology the researchers demonstrated that it can significantly increase yields of fuels and chemicals from bacteria; reducing costs for refiners and making manufacturing by microbial fermentation a more practical option.

A Pair of Opposing Ethanol Bills Come to Washington: Analysis

The future of the ethanol industry appears up in the air as two bills come before Congress at loggerheads with one another.

The first bill sets out to reform bioethanol tax policy. Put forward by a group of senators led by Senator Chuck Grassley, the bill is supported by the National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy and the RFA. The bill, dubbed the Domestic Energy Promotion Act, would reduce blender’s credit for two years, after which the credit would be tied to oil price. Tax credits for installing ethanol fuelling infrastructure would be improved, as would accessibility to credits for small ethanol producers and, notably, advanced cellulosic biofuel producers, not previously covered by these benefits.

The group released this statement:

“This legislation rightfully recognizes budget constraints by reforming the ethanol tax credit and significantly reducing its cost. Additionally, this bill would improve current tax credits for the installation of blender pumps offering higher level ethanol blends and provide Americans more choice when they fill up. Critically, this legislation would also ensure progress made to commercialize advanced ethanol technologies utilizing new feedstocks such as grasses and municipal solid waste is accelerated.”

The group states that ethanol has already had economic benefits for US citizens by keeping gas prices $0.89 lower (research by Iowa State University) than they were predicted to be in 2010. This saved the average US family $800 last year and over the past ten years has saved consumers a total of $35 billion.
The second bill is more anti-ethanol and was put forward by Senators Tom Coburn and Dianne Feinstein to repeal subsidies for ethanol use: the tax credit system and also the import tariff in foreign ethanol.
They argue that the ethanol subsidy is bad economic policy and is to blame for increases in the cost of energy and food, and in these times of austerity the subsidy is irresponsible. Ethanol receives three forms of government support; government rewards for use, tariff protection and the mandated blend percentage.  They claim that repealing the subsidy for ethanol will save taxpayers $6 billion a year. Nearly 40 organizations from across the political spectrum, including a number of refiners, have called for the removal of the subsidy. The main point of their argument is that this level of government intervention in the ethanol industry is unfair and unnecessary; if ethanol use is mandated by law why reward companies for complying with the law? Despite the bill having a decidedly anti-biofuel flavor, there is a point to be made here. The tax credits given for ethanol use don’t support the ethanol industry; it goes to its customers who are required by law to use ethanol. While this could be argued to benefit the industry indirectly by supporting its customers, the government might find this cash put to better use elsewhere.

Corinne Young, a leading consultant in US biobased chemicals policy had this to say about the bill:

“I oppose Coburn/Feinstein, which would hinder the US's ability to lead the bio-based economy, with ethanol as platform infrastructure that can continue to hasten the deployment of high value biochemicals as well. Particularly in the wake of the Senate Finance Committee hearing on better proposals to repeal some of Big Oil's subsidies for deficit reduction and wiser investment in clean tech, such as a bio chemical production tax credit (PTC). A PTC would drive over 200,000 new jobs over the next 5 to 10 years and would spur US global competitiveness in sustainable manufacturing for an innovative, low carbon economy.”

The fact that a number of refiners who benefit from the subsidy are backing the bill is interesting, why would anyone support a bill that would mean they get less money? Removal of subsidies for biodiesel culled the number of companies last year; those that were scraping by with the subsidy dropped without it. Perhaps some of the refiners backing this bill are hoping to remove some of the competition? Removal of the subsidy could reshape the ethanol industry by removing more minor players for their market share to be taken up by financially stronger companies that can weather losing that income.

Coburn and Feinstein also claim that ethanol is bad for the environment and actually increases dependence on foreign oil by increasing the price of imported ethanol. The claim ethanol is bad for the environment is oversimplified; some methods of ethanol production save very little carbon and energy over the whole life cycle, while others are much greener and these are seen as the future of ethanol. However, the claim about increasing dependence on foreign oil is interesting. The limits placed on imported ethanol are there to make it easier for US ethanol manufacturers to compete, so that the US can have a growing ethanol industry of its own without being undercut by cheaper imported ethanol. However it could be argued with free trade of cheap Brazilian ethanol it might be possible to increase the volume of ethanol used in the US and therefore decrease the use of foreign oil, but this would simply make the US dependent on foreign ethanol rather than foreign oil in the long run.

Overall, the Grassley bill would be good for the biofuel industry and would probably result in a scenario where the majority of the existing ethanol industry and new technologies are supported, allowing the US to maintain its place as a world leader in the biobased economy. The Coburn/Feinstein bill on the other hand would reshape the industry. It would have a “pruning” effect which would result in a smaller number of more stable companies (if tax credit for refiners is removed) rather than larger numbers of smaller start-ups. In the long run, this might have its advantages; less players competing for market share, partnership opportunities and funding might (eventually) favor growth. However, the blow that the Coburn/Feinstein bill would deliver would impair innovation and slow movement towards the greener biofuel technologies. The bill would also put the industry on the back foot at a time when it should be pushing forward.

Iberia and Airbus sign agreement to build an aviation biofuel value chain for Spain

Iberia and Airbus will be supported by the Spanish Government and led by the Air Safety State Agency to develop the value chain, aiming to reduce Spain’s dependence on fossil fuels and decrease its CO2 emissions in the aviation sector.The agreement will promote and develop the whole value chain for aviation biofuel production, providing commercial opportunities and partnership potential for R&D groups, feedstock producers, biofuel manufacturers, distributors and airlines, in both the private and public sectors. Commercializing sustainable biofuel production is the aim. More groups are expected to join the agreement in the future.Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus, stated that biofuel was of special significance to the aviation industry as “our industry has no other viable alternative energy source”.
Airbus will focus on the feasibility, life cycle and sustainability analysis of the project. Iberia will use their technical knowledge of aircraft to do tests and gather data on practical biofuel usage. This agreement is expected to attract other companies and important partners in the future. For example, later in the process biofuel producers will be identified and the most viable demonstration scale facilities will be identified for implementation and scaling up of production. Scaling up is expected to begin in by 2012.

DSM partners with Roquette and Elevance

DSM recently made partnership deals with Roquette to build a biobased succinic acid plant and with Elevance to develop biobased thermoplastics from Elevance’s monomers.

Once completed (estimated 2012) it will be one of Europe’s biggest biobased succinic acid plants.The plant, to be built at Roquette’s Cassano facility in Italy, will produce 10 thousand tons of biobased succinic acid a year by yeast-fermentation. Renewable starch derivatives will be used as feedstock. Interestingly, the manufacturing process absorbs CO2 and does not produce a number of side products common to succinic acid manucacture; DSM claim that this is the only succinic acid production process that does so. The decision to build the plant follows a joint venture in 2010 in which the two companies paired to build a demonstration facility in France which was quite successful. This plant would establish DSM/Roquette alongside Bioamber as one of the big biobased succinic acid players. The two companies are establishing a joint venture named Reverdia for future activities.
DSM have also partnered with Elevance to explore use of Elevance’s biobased monomer technology to produce a portfolio of high performance thermoplastics. Elevance use plant derived oils to produce a range of monomers and DSM will provide their polymer expertise to develop and commercialize products.

RadiciGroup Developing Fully Renewable Spandex

RadiciGroup subsidiary RadiciSpandex has achieved the world’s first renewable elastane, also known as Spandex.

Elastane is produced from propylene, which is usually produced from oil. The product developed by RadiciSpandex is 80% biobased, from corn. In a press release, RadiciSpandex claim that overal, the biobased production process generates less CO2 than the oil-based process. The bioelastane fiber also has good performance, being easy to process and more stretchable, making the development useful to manufacturers and consumers. The development of “greenness” in the product catered to consumer demands for more eco-friendly textiles.

RadiciSpandex CEO, Marty Moran:

" The demand of the market at large, and particularly the personal care and textile sectors, which are our target markets, is increasingly leaning towards so-called "green" products that help protect the environment. This is the direction we are focusing our efforts on."

Primus Green Energy Biopetroleum Breakthrough

The US based subsidiary of Israeli Corp (IC) has found a way to produce 93-octane rated gasoline from biobased feedstocks, which could create a drop-in greener option at the pumps in the future.

The process developed by Primus Green Energy Ltd converts waste biomass from agriculture into standard gasoline; not alcohol fuels such as ethanol or butanol but it is chemically identical to the gasoline currently in use and the company says it can be produced cost competitively. The fuel has the same properties and performance and can be run in conventional gasoline engines without any modifications or changes to fuel distribution infrastructure.

President of IC Green Energy, Dr. Yom-Tov Samia;

"Primus GE can produce 2,000 gallons of biofuel at its pilot facility. Primus GE's technology could lead to a positive revolution in the fuel industry, and signals a possible rehab from dependence on oil. IC Green Energy was founded in 2007 on the basis of Idan Ofer's vision to enter the renewal energy field. Fuel production from wood residue is another aspect of this strategy."

Primus is now working towards commercializing the product and they are in contact with a number of groups who they will use to assist them. Having built a pilot production facility they have partnered with aviation giants Lockheed Martin for engineering services to develop bio-jet fuel for the department of defense. They have a letter of intent from Eco Energy, which currently handle 20% of biofuel commerce in the US. To ensure that the company has enough biomass for production, Primus has been in contact with agricultural companies to negotiate use of marginal land for crop growth and also with forestry companies to gather their waste for use as feedstock. Landmark Ventures are also co-operating with Primus for future financing.

ADM Announces Start-Up of Renewable Biobased Propylene Glycol

Archer Daniels Midland Company announce the start-up of its biobased propylene glycol plant in Illinois.

The facility began start-up operations in late March and is now producing industrial-grade, biobased propylene glycol produced from renewable feedstocks such as corn and soy. Over the next few months, ADM will increase the plant’s production capacity and work toward adding production of propylene glycol which meets United States Pharmacopeial (USP) standards.

Business director, Paul Bloom;

“When we initially started propylene glycol production at the facility in June 2010, we made high-quality product and gained confidence in our technology. We also identified several opportunities to further improve product quality. We piloted the necessary design modifications, reviewed and updated our operational safety program and then implemented the improvements at scale to bring the facility online in late March. Because ADM is committed to safely producing high-quality, biobased propylene glycol, we took time to ensure our facility was getting the right results, the right way.”

Propylene Glycol has applications in a number of markets, as an additive or solvent in the pharmaceutical industry, as an additive in the food and cosmetics industries, a plasticizer, hydraulic fluid, unsaturated polyester resins and a plethora of other uses. Propylene glycol manufacture has been growing by about 4% annually over the past few years, with about 450 million kg produced a year in the US.

Arizona State University Study Algae Culture Crashes; Could This Research Make Algae a More Viable Feedstock?

Predator contamination can decimate a crop of algae, but researchers at the University of Arizona are trying to find ways to deal with the problem; this would make algae a more economically reliable feedstock.

Despite claims of land efficiency and high oil yields, microalgae have pests just like any other crop. These pests come in the form of zooplankton; various predatory microbes that can consume algae like a swarm of locusts on a corn field. This ends in a culture crash as the algae are consumed by predators and the batch is lost.

Culture crashes are one of the biggest hurdles for cultivation of algae as a feedstock for biofuel or biochemical applications as one of the cheapest methods of cultivating algae (in open ponds) is also the most susceptible to culture crash. Closed systems (such as photobioreactors) are more resistant to culture crashes but are also more expensive, sometimes prohibitively so. If particular risk factors for culture crashes could be identified they could be avoided or mitigated. If so, this would improve the productivity of algae, which could (depending on the cost of the method) make algae a more commercially viable feedstock.

Arizona State University recently received a million dollar grant for the next five years from the US Department of Agriculture for research into factors contributing to crop failure. Project leader Prof Qiang Hu is the co-director of the Arizona Center for Algal Technology and Innovation (AzCATI). He stated that the lack of detailed understanding of the factors influencing the occurrence, population dynamics, impact and control of zooplankton, it could make algae an impractical feedstock; his research team will endeavor to fill in the gaps in scientific understanding.

They will study zooplankton in commercial algae production facilities and also in their own algae facilities at ASU using bioimaging and DNA fingerprinting to determine the organisms present to build a detailed picture of culture crash by predation. This could lead to early warning monitors for commercial algae production; rather than waiting for the culture to start dying off as an indicator, an anti-microbial agent could be administered early to prevent infection from escalating and wiping out the batch. The studies could also be used to build more realistic pictures of the output of algae production facilities when predation is factored into the equation. 

The potential for improving algae technology that this line of research could offer is great; if technology and best-practice based solutions are made available they could make algae a more viable way to produce chemicals and fuel. The directors of AzCATI have stated that their findings will be made widely available as publications, journal articles and training courses, so that the algae industry as a whole can benefit. As these solutions are made available, AzCATI may well find itself in high demand for a growing algae industry.

Green tinted specs-Teijin’s BIOFRONT to be used in designer eyeglasses

Japan-based Boston Club, a designer eyeglass company will use Teijin’s heat resistant plastic BIOFRONT in its JAPONISM range.

Boston Club is active globally, producing a range of designer eyewear; however most of their business is located in Japan. The bioplastic glasses will go on sale in May and they expect 2000 pairs of the glasses to be sold each year. The BIOFRONT bioplastic is polylactic acid (PLA) based, though its performance has been greatly improved on standard PLA. It is produced from biobased feedstock and durable; it is resistant to sunlight bleaching or bacterial degradation, making it a good choice for use in glasses. In fact, BIOFRONT is more resistant to discoloration from cosmetics than acetate, the petrochemical based plastic most often used in glasses. BIOFRONT also has mild antibacterial properties which can help prevent skin rashes sometimes caused by glasses.

The glasses will be manufactured by Teijin and distributed by Boston Club. Teijin partnered with Tanaka Foresight in 2009, the plastics company which supplies 60% of all plastic parts for glasses in Japan and developed bioplastic frames for spectacles.

The Department of Energy Finds Algae Grown in Open Ponds Could Replace 17% of U.S. Oil Imports, But Clever Water Usage is a Must.

DOE researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory studying the potential for Algae grown in open ponds found that algae grown this way could replace 17% of oil imports. However, while algae is very land-efficient, it is water intensive. The study was published in Water Resources Research.

Lead author and PNNL hydrologist, Mark Wigmosta:

"Algae has been a hot topic of biofuel discussions recently, but no one has taken such a detailed look at how much America could make - and how much water and land it would require — until now. This research provides the groundwork and initial estimates needed to better inform renewable energy decisions."

Congressionally mandated targets are calling for a reduction in oil imports by a third and fresh water algae ponds alone could potentially meet half of this reduction. This equates to 21bn gallons of biofuel which could be produced on an area of land the size of South Carolina. However, one gallon of algal biofuel requires 350 gallons of water to produce. The study also found that if significantly more land and water were used it would be possible to replace 48% of fuel imports, though this would be much more difficult.

Driving a mile on algal biofuel has a water footprint of 8.6-50.2 gallons and bioethanol production has a similar water footprint. Water availability is one of the big challenges set to face the world in coming years and the fact that algae production is so thirsty will hinder algal biofuel unless water is managed carefully in this growing industry. A number of methods exist for minimizing water usage in algae cultivation, some of which will be considered in future studies by Wigmosta’s research group and projects that bear their water consumption in mind might be the most sustainable.

This study represents the first in-depth attempt to determine the potential for algal biofuel growth. Thirty years of meteorological data, high resolution topographical data and information on population and land use were analyzed, along with mathematical modeling of algal growth under various conditions. While there are many ways of producing algae, open freshwater ponds are the most common in the US. The limiting factors considered in the study were location and climate; growing algae is water intensive and warm climates are ideal for algae cultivation, as they require less water input in these conditions. Three areas were identified as well suited to growing algae; the Gulf Coast, Eastern Seaboard and the Great Lakes.

Future studies by the group are aimed at investigating more advanced algae cultivation technologies, such as the potential for salt-water algae development, the impact of using waste CO2 to enhance growth, algae cultivation in waste water, the use of greenhouse ponds for colder climates and economic factors. A number of projects are pursuing algae technologies that use less fresh water; for example a Spanish consortium which is using waste water and a biofuel facility in New Mexico using salt water. If the potential of these technologies is demonstrated by this research, it could help attract investment and reduce the water footprint of cultivating algal feedstocks. Data on the water savings of non-fresh water cultivation technologies would be valuable for the algae industry. There are also locations for a “perfect storm” of conditions for algae cultivation; a combination of good geography, adjacent sources of waste CO2, abundant sunshine, humidity and non-fresh water supplies. Identifying these sites could give algae development a boost as producers compete to get hold of the best locations.  

Lignol develops adhesive resins for OSB, opening up a greener option for construction materials

Biofuels and renewable chemicals company Lignol Energy Corporation have announced the development of a resin adhesive which is renewable, making use of their High-Performance Lignin (HP-LTM). The resin will be used for making Oriented Strand Board (OSB).

Lignol President and CEO, Ross Maclachlan:

“The successful development and trial of our first renewable chemical product based on our High-Performance Lignin is an exciting milestone for our company. This achievement demonstrates that our strategy to develop commercial applications for the green chemicals produced at our pilot-scale biorefinery is delivering results. For Lignol, this paves the way to enormous worldwide markets for High-Performance Lignin formulations in other applications like particleboard, plywood and MDF for the composite wood products industry. The potential volumes needed to supply these markets would require production from multiple commercial-scale Lignol biorefineries.”

Canada-based Lignol have been developing cellulose to ethanol technologies for fuel production and several offshooting technologies for producing chemicals from intermediate sugars or ethanol. The new adhesive is derived from one of the company’s products, HP-LTM; a resin containing renewable lignin blended with a polymer known as pMDI. This high performance lignol based resin is to be used as a core component of OSB, which is a wood composite material commonly used in construction. OSB is comprised of wood and a resin, the substitution of the existing resin for the Lignol resin would make these panels more renewable. Production of OSB in the US in 2005 was in the region of 25bn square feet, indicating a large market for potential product expansion.

Previous attempts to make lignin resins for use in these boards failed to meet industry standards; however this product is tougher and makes the grade, being cheaper and greener. Lignol has partnered with FPinnovations to develop the product; FPinnovations had done the initial performance testing of the HP-LTM boards to find their performance exceeded the standards required by Canadian and American regulators. The finished boards are expected to be cost-competitive with existing products, making boards containing the resin an attractive option for construction operations seeking ways to green their business.

DOW and OPX Biotech partner to produce biobased acrylic acid.

Dow Chemical Company and OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. (OPXBIO) announce that they are collaborating to scale up OPXBIO’s process for synthesis of bio-based acrylic acid. This would be a drop-in replacement for the chemical rather than a similar substitute.

Pat Gottschalk, business director and vice president, Dow Performance Monomers.

“Dow is interested in bio-based products that are economically competitive to petrochemical-based products with equal or advantaged performance qualities. Through the use of innovative technologies and sustainable raw materials, this project may enable Dow to diversify its product offerings for customers.”

OPXBIO developed a way to convert sugars to acrylic acid via fermentation and DOW is now using its know-how for producing acrylic acid and esters to scale up the process. This process was found by independent LCA consultants Symbiotic Engineering to have carbon emissions 70% lower than the conventional acrylic acid synthesis from petrochemicals. OPXBIO has expertise in developing strains of microorganisms for fermentation in this area which it will contribute using its EDGE (efficiency directed genome engineering) platform. EDGE is a technology which has allowed OPXBIO to accelerate the rate at which it can develop strains for industrial application. If this joint process development succeeds, bio-based acrylic acid could be sold on the market within three to five years. 

Acrylic acid is chemical used in a variety of applications, with global production exceeding a billion kilograms a year and a market value of $8bn a year, growing 4% a year. It is used to manufacture a range of esters which are used in the flavors and fragrances industry and it also used widely in the polymers industry to produce a range of co-polymers, plastics, adhesives and elastomers. Polyacrylic acid is able to absorb large amounts of water relative to its weight; therefore it is often used in products such as disposable diapers. It is also used to prevent scale build up in circulating cool water systems in a range of industries.   

Avantium announces its Bio-based PEF Packaging to replace PET

Avantium is launching its fully biobased replacement for PET, a polymer commonly used in packaging. This represents a milestone for sustainability in the plastics industry; this is the first fully renewable route to producing this widely used plastic.

Semi-biobased PET polymers were recently adopted by Heinz and Coca Cola for use in their respective Ketchup and Coca-Cola bottles. PET is manufactured from two chemicals, one of which (ethylene glycol) makes up 30% of the total mass of the polymer and has been successfully produced from biobased feedstock. The other component which comprises the remaining 70% of the polymer, terephthalic acid (TPA), has proven more difficult to replace and a number of companies are working to find drop-in routes for producing TPA from biobased feedstock. The difficulty stems from the complex synthesis currently needed to produce TPA from biobased feedstock; this complexity adds to the cost and makes it commercially non-viable.

Avantium have taken a different tack, trying to find a replacement for TPA which can be produced from biobased feedstock more easily. They have found a viable alternative in Furan Dicarboxylic Acid (FDCA) to replace TPA and producing a polymer known as PEF. Avantium claim that FDCA is cheaper than TPA and that PEF has similar (or better) properties to PET and are ultimately produced from biobased sugars. These sugars are then used to produce furanics (the bread and butter of Avantium’s R&D) which are then converted to FDCA. The finished PEF bottles look identical to bottles produced with PET.

Avantium has been working on scaling up the process, though a pilot plant has not yet been announced and there is no more information available on how the commercialization of the product is progressing. At the Bioplastek 2011 forum the Netherlands-based company will introduce the product. There, the company is expected to detail PEF in comparison to PET with technical details on comparative performance. High on the agenda is likely to be how recyclable PEF is; will it fit into existing infrastructure for recycling PET?

However, once Avantium hit the commercialization point with the product, thinking outside the box with PEF as they have done might lead to difficulties for the plastics manufacturer. PEF is a new plastic without a market or reputation, despite being plugged as a “drop-in” substitute for PET in the industry if 100% biobased TPA can be produced economically it might stifle PEF before it gets off the ground. Indeed, Genomatica talked at length about this in their presentation regarding bio-based chemicals market research; novel products are struggling while their markets are growing and drop-in products are growing more easily. Avantium will have to market the product carefully to ensure it succeeds in the marketplace.

Nanoparticles could give biofuel a boost, but at a cost

Indian researchers found that addition of a nanoparticle catalyst to biofuel could improve the performance of the fuel, making it burn cleaner.

The study, published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy shows aluminum oxide nanoparticles could act as a catalyst; making the fuel burn more efficiently and more cleanly. The high ratio of surface to volume of these tiny particles (average diameter of 51 nanometers) creates a large reactive surface for the reaction to take place on and also improvies the air-fuel mixture leading to more complete combustion. When combustion is incomplete, carbon monoxide and a range of other harmful gases are produced in greater quantities. Aluminum oxide is often used as a catalyst in the chemical industry, its use in nanoparticle form is relatively new and unusual.

Study author R. B. Anand, at National Institute of Technology in Tiruchirappalli tested the nanoparticles on jatropha-derived biofuel, blending the nanoparticles into the fuel using a detergent. In trials, the nanoparticle-biofuel burned more fully, massively reducing the emitted amounts of gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) and also less smoke. He is currently testing different blends of particles in an attempt to find an ideal proportion, one that balances the performance boost with cost. He is also investigating the effect that nanoparticles have on the rest of the engine and also the potential of other nanostructures as fuel enhancers.

The researchers are now testing other types of nanoparticles, including hollow carbon nanotubes, and investigating the effects of nano-additives to engine lubrication and cooling systems. One obstacle to the application of this kind of nanotechnology is the high cost of nanoparticle production, says Anand -- who also cautions that nanoparticles "should be used judiciously," because they tend to "entrain into human bodies."

Planting Short Rotation Energy Crops Could Produce Enough Biomass for UK renewables targets.

Short rotation energy crops planted on unused agricultural land could provide a viable route to meeting renewable energy targets without disrupting food production or the environment.

UKERC researcher and Professor of Plant Biology from the University of Southampton, Gail Taylor;

"This study shows that bioenergy crops can be grown sustainably in parts of England, with no detrimental impact on food crops or other ecosystem services. Our current work is taking this approach further to determine how future climate scenarios will influence biomass supply."

UK has targets for a 15% renewable energy by 2020 and bioenergy is expected to play a major role. At present bioenergy represents is less than 0.1% of energy in the UK and attempts to increase it have resulted in competition with food production. For bioenergy to grow, it is necessary to assess the UK’s capacity as a whole for producing biofeedstock.

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) has been studying the potential of short rotation crops,such as coppiced poplar and willow for bioenergy with the University of Southampton. These coppiced crops grow over the year, are cut back and allowed to regrow with the biomass harvested being used for energy or potentially for biobased chemical production. Researchers took social, environmental and economic limitations into account; land use restrictions are in place in the UK to preserve the countryside and residents often object to protected land being developed.

The study found that with efficient land use, 4% of the UK’s total electricity demand can be met with biomass grown on marginal land, bioenergy plants and lignocellulosic biotechnology. Of the land in the UK, 61% could potentially be planted with these energy crops. A number of conditions were placed on biomass production for the study; the planted crops must not have an impact on “ecosystem services”, must not conflict with food production, must not displace land that is currently saving GHG emissions and must be profitable. Realistically, the study found that 7.5 million tons of biomass could be produced this way.

Vibatan durability-enhancing masterbatches make PLA a stronger option

Italy-based Vibatan have released a range of Masterbatches; additives for enhancing the physical properties of the bioplastic PLA, making PLA a better choice for short lifetime disposable products for consumer benefit.

PLA is one of the major bioplastics coming into day to day use. It is biodegradable and is often used in packaging. However, it is relatively weak and has a low melting point; in fact, it usually cant be used in cups as hot drinks over 50°C will quickly melt the polymer. When used in plastic bags, PLA can be more prone to splitting over time than other kinds of plastic, causing headaches for consumers and supply chain managers who have to get the bags to clients before their “Best Before” date. Different production methods can raise the melting point and strength of PLA, but there are still limits on how much this can help. A number of companies have been working on additives to enhance the performance of PLA; Vibatan has just launched a trio of “masterbatches”. Masterbatches are polymers with high concentrations of additives; for example a polymer with high concentrations of pigment.

The three additives create different properties in PLA; PLA modifier 03925 is designed for increasing strength in injection molded PLA products and maintains transparency. PLA strengthener 04075 is specialized for enhancing the performance of PLA products manufactured by extrusion and PLA enhancer 03834 also improves the performance of PLA and makes it easier to process.

The physical performance of bioplastics is an area where they are often lacking and products such as these masterbatches offer means to patch up this weak point. Masterbatch and additive based enhancements could broaden the applications that bioplastics are fit for, from tougher plastic bags, to cups that have better heat resistance or some automotive manufacturers are using enhanced PLA in engine components. This means PLA could be sold to a wider range of customers and adding value to the PLA industry, enabling it to grow.

However, the green credentials of these additives are important if they make up such a high concentration of the finished product; if they are not biodegradable or are polluting to produce there is a risk that the benefits of these additives might be misleading. A 100% renewable, biodegradable bioplastic could have its “greenness” tarnished by high concentrations of a petrochemical based additive that is toxic and with increased toughness, potentially less biodegradable. It might even be the case that an additive is not biodegradable at all being left behind as residue when the PLA degrades.

To turn this on its head, bioplastics that have been strengthened and are still biodegradable might be suitable for high performance applications, but the fact that they are biodegradable would shorten their safe working lifetime as they are likely to fail sooner than a non-biodegradable plastic. These are issues that will affect any performance enhancer for bioplastics and should be considered by PLA manufacturers and additive developers. Biodegradable bioplastics are suitable replacements the majority of plastics sold; those that are used to produce short lifetime, disposable products. While these additives could make short lifetime products perform better, they should not be taken as a way turn PLA into a biodegradable super-plastic.

Scientists Develop High Performance Nano-Cellulose Fibers to Strengthen Plastics

Brazilian scientists have developed a new way of manipulating cellulose that makes it far stronger and also makes it suitable for high performance applications. 

While it is often the subject of cellulosic biofuel research where it is broken down into its constituent sugars, cellulose is also of interest as a polymer in its own right. It is strong, light and has been used to produce biodegradable polymers. The properties of cellulose are rooted in its molecular structure and what these researchers did was produce a “nano-scale” structure with higher physical strength than “ordinary” cellulose structures. The new cellulose polymers are stronger, lighter and greener than many polymers used in industry. The new cellulose fibers can be used to reinforce other polymers, in some cases making them nearly as strong as Kevlar.The pure modified cellulose is expensive, however 1 kilo of modified cellulose can be used to reinforce 100 kilos of plastic, drastically improving its strength-to-weight ratio. For this cellulose application, the researchers found waste from a range of fruit bearing plants is an ideal feedstock. The manufacturing process involves heating the feedstock and adding a number of chemicals to reform the cellulose into the desired nano-structure.

Sao Paulo State University Study Leader, Alcides Leão;

"The properties of these plastics are incredible; they are light, but very strong about 30 per cent lighter and 3 to 4 times stronger. We believe that a lot of car parts, including dashboards, bumpers, side panels, will be made of nano-sized fruit fibers in the future. For one thing, they will help reduce the weight of cars and that will improve fuel economy."

Cellulose reinforced plastics have been tested by several car manufacturers and Leão predicts that it will find its way into new car models within the next few years.The potential weight reduction would be useful in reducing emissions across the transport sector and the cellulose-reinforced fibers are more resistant to damage from heat and chemicals. He even claims that one day it may be possible to replace metal automotive parts with parts produced from cellulose reinforced plastics.

This development is one of several which is beginning to broaden the markets in which biopolymers are suited for; for example, Entropy resins recently released its biobased epoxy which can be used in high performance composite products like snowboards and wind turbine blades. Biobased polymers are often lacking is in high performance applications, often limited to replacing petrochemical-based plastics in packaging. The fact that often bioplastics are biodegradable is useful for these applications, though it often results in lower resilience or weakening of the plastic over its working lifetime. Stronger polymers are generally less biodegradable so this nano-cellulose reinforcement will be less biodegradable, which consumers should be aware of. As this is commercialized it could open up a market for low carbon footprint, sustainable high performance materials that would compete with metals and specialist plastics, the green credentials of which are currently lacking.Potentially, this could be a major way for a broader range of manufacturers to decrease the carbon footprint of their products in future.

Waste is a Terrible Thing to Waste: Poly-Green Technologies Develop PUR Foam Production from Biodiesel Waste

A researcher from Ohio State University has developed a way to produce polyurethane foam from a byproduct of biodiesel manufacture which is usually just discarded, neatly finding a greener way to produce PUR and making the biodiesel game more profitable.

Crude glycerin is the biodiesel byproduct; it is usually of so little value that it is usually thrown away. However, researcher Yebo Li found a way to convert it into a polyol which can then in turn be used to produce polyurethane (PUR). PUR is commonly used in the form of foams in the automotive industry to produce gaskets, seals, tires and also in interior upholstery. It also has application in adhesives, coatings and can be used as a hard plastic. The final PUR product is comparable to the petrochemically derived product in quality.

The fact that the process uses a waste product as feedstock makes it cheap; the polyol can be produced 5-10% more cheaply than petroleum based polyols. This is still true in comparison to other processes used to manufacture polyols from biomass because what is otherwise a waste product is cheaper than biomass. The quality of the product made from waste is also higher than the quality of the product produced from biomass; these biopolyols must be blended with petrochemically derived polyols to bring the quality up to scratch for some applications. As Jeff Schultheis, Chief Operating Officer of Poly-Green Technologies puts it, the company is “competing not just on being 'green,' but also on overall quality and cost." Crude glycerin is currently cheap and abundant and as biodiesel production grows, more of glycerin will be produced; for every ten gallons of biodiesel produced, a gallon of crude glycerin is produced. In 2011, it is predicted that 70 million gallons of crude glycerin will be produced in the US.

With biodiesel production rising, there is a need for this technology and others like it which put waste to use. Biodiesel has been struggling this past year with a subsidy that was not renewed, and a technology such as this would give biodiesel producers another way to add value to their operations at this rough time. Also, this value would be from activity in the chemicals industry; several presenters (such as Genomatica) at the Infocast event in Milan claim that the chemicals industry is a more stable market than fuels. The additional stable revenue stream would give the biodiesel industry a safety net as it grows, something that would mean that feedstock is used more efficiently.

Poly-green technologies is in a late stage of development and looking at moving quickly to scale up and is constructing a reactor which will allow the company to produce hundreds of thousands of gallons of polyols a year and they believe that they can increase the output to more than that. The company has also got the help of a marketing company with experience in the polyol industry. The PUR industry in the US is worth more than $13bn and is very reliant on petroleum. When this technology comes to market, Poly-Green Technologies predict that they will be able to sell 1 million gallons in the first year and increase to 5 million gallons within 5 years.  

However, the green credentials of PUR are not great. PUR is produced by polymerizing polyols and isocyanates; even if polyols can be produced renewably from waste, isocyanates are a problem. There are ways to synthesize them from soy bean oil; however there are no projects working to commercialize them at present. Isocyanates are also fairly toxic, being known to sensitize handlers to asthma attacks. Interestingly, a company called Nanotech Industries has developed a variant of PUR that does not use any isocyanates, maybe a match between these two companies could deliver the greenest PUR the world has seen?  

Danisco Loses the First Round in Patent Battle with Novozymes

Danisco has lost a US court bid to invalidate a patent held by Novozymes for an engineered enzyme used to produce biofuel.  

Novozymes claims that one of Danisco’s products infringes a patent it holds for a thermostable alpha amylase enzyme. This enzyme converts starch to sugars, which can then be fermented to produce bioethanol. The thermostability of the enzyme is a key detail.  Usually enzymes operate optimally at moderate temperatures and are destroyed at high temperatures. However, higher temperatures make the reaction faster; therefore an enzyme that retains its activity at these temperatures can increase yields.

After the initial action from Novozymes stating that Danisco was infringing on its patent, Danisco came back by challenging the validity of the patent; seeking a judgment from US District Judge Barbara Crabb to back up its counter-claim. This has been rejected on the grounds that the “defendants haven't met their burden to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the 723 patent is invalid as a matter of law, and now it is likely that the case will go to trial. However, Danisco still seems confident; Soonhee Jang, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Danisco claims that it isn’t “unusual that the court doesn't grant a motion such as this in an early phase of a trial. We are still confident and will go forward with the trial. We believe we will prevail. Danisco argue that the Novozymes patent does not fully describe Novozymes enzyme, and despite refusing their action, Judge Crabb agreed to some extent. 

As the case involves two of the largest enzyme manufacturers for biofuel, this case will have an impact on the Bioethanol industry and also on the wider biobased chemicals market. Thermostable enzymes are of great value to the biobased chemicals industry: the manufacturers that have access to those technologies will have a considerable competitive advantage. One wonders how the ruling will affect future developments and innovation regarding thermostable enzymes and how the trial will affect the bioethanol enzymes landscape in general. The trial will take place in October and I will be keeping an eye on how this develops.