Résumé : |
The need to develop and implement affordable and sustainable large-scale operations for the conversion of renewable resources to chemical building blocks is becoming increasingly urgent and essential in reducing global dependence on fossil fuels, including the critical aspect of minimising our carbon footprint. NXTLEVVEL Biochem has successfully implemented commercial scale manufacturing of second-generation biomass-derived chemicals, with navel technologies in bio-solvents based on the conversion of biomass to derivatives of levulinic acid, originally developed by GFBiochemicals. Products that are now commercially available include ethyl levulinate (NXT SOLV 100), butyl levulinate (NXT SOLV 200), levulinate propanediol ketal (NXT SOLV 300) and levulinate glycerol ketal (NXT SOLV 400).
Levulinic acid derivatives are considered key technologies for moving towards petrochemical-free chemistry, but commercial-scale production has long been hampered by the chicken and egg story between capital investment and market demand. Produced from agricultural waste, derivatives of levulinic acid such as butyl levulinate and ethyl levulinate propanediol ketal can be used as sustainable alternatives to materials such as 2,2,4-trimethy1-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate (Eastman Texanor), 2,2-dimethy1-1-(methylethyl)-1,3- propanediylbis(2-methylpropanoate) (Eastman Optifilm°°' Enhancer 400) and triethylene glycol bis(2-ethylhexanoate) (Dowanor DPnB). |