DATE : 2015-01-27

 

BASF has decided to exit a biobased acrylic acid partnership with Novozymes and Cargill, Novozymes announced today. Novozymes and Cargill have collaborated on the technology since 2008. BASF, the world's biggest producer of acrylic acid via the conventional route of propylene oxidation, joined the partnership in 2012. The collaboration between Novozymes and Cargill, which they say will continue, is focused on developing microorganisms that can efficiently convert renewable feedstock into 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP), one possible precursor to acrylic acid. BASF's role was to develop the process for converting 3HP into acrylic acid. The reason for BASF's exit was not specified, and the company has not yet responded to requests for comment. Mark Morgan, Global managing director of renewable and bio-based chemicals at IHS Chemical tells CW that the challenges in making an acid biologically is the robustness of any microorganisms to sustained low pH operation.

"Several approaches have been demonstrated with other products like lactic acid in pH management and the development of lower pH tolerant systems... The 3-HPA side of the process appears to be workable," he says. "The challenge is the cost effective conversion of 3-HPA into crude or glacial acrylic acid." Acrylic acid is very reactive, even in a conventional process, he adds. Cargill and Novozymes say they have begun efforts to find a new commercialization partner.

SOURCE Chemweek's Business Daily

1 Comment

  1. Jean-Marc Bourget

    As a comment  to this post about BASF exit of Biobased acrylic acid, please find the following very detailed analysis provided by the ECI Team: It's include a  complete review of other key Acrylic Acid players "bio based strategy".    

     

     

     

     

    BASF exits biobased acrylic acid collaboration with Novozymes and Cargill

     

    January 28, 2015: BASF has decided to exit a biobased acrylic acid partnership with Novozymes and Cargill.

     

    As a reminder, Novozymes and Cargill have collaborated on renewable acrylic acid technology since 2008.

    BASF, the world's biggest producer of acrylic acid via the conventional route of propylene oxidation, joined the collaboration in 2012.

    BASF, Cargill and Novozymes to develop commercial bio-based acrylic acid process

     

    The collaboration between Novozymes and Cargill, which they say will continue, is focused on developing microorganisms that can efficiently convert renewable feedstock into 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HPA), one possible precursor to acrylic acid.

     

    BASF's role was to develop the process for converting 3-HPA into acrylic acid.

     

    BASF told to Chemweek in a statement: "BASF had decided to end the collaboration with Cargill & Novozymes on a technology to derive bio-based acrylic acid via 3-hydroxypropionic acid from dextrose.

    Although BASF was able to successfully convert 3HP to bio-based acrylic acid through development and use of a proprietary technology BASF´s global business unit Hygiene could not reach the targets for commercializing a dextrose-based product at this time.

    Therefore BASF does not view investment in scale-up as a viable option. Nevertheless BASF is driving continuous improvement on sustainability development for our customers in our market and is continiusly evaluating other opportunities along the entire value chain."

     

    Mark Morgan, Global Managing Director of renewable & bio-based chemicals at IHS Chemical said:  “The challenge in making an acid biologically is the robustness of any microorganisms to sustained low pH operation. Several approaches have been demonstrated with other products like lactic acid in pH management and the development of lower pH tolerant systems... The 3-HPA side of the process appears to be workable. The challenge is the cost effective conversion of 3-HPA into crude or glacial acrylic acid. Acrylic acid is very reactive, even in a conventional process. “

     

    Cargill and Novozymes said they have begun efforts to find a new commercialization partner.

     

    According to Novozymes, the R&D cooperation on bio-based acrylic acid has achieved a number of technical and business targets:

    • In 2013, the project accomplished the production of 3-HPA in pilot scale

    BASF, Cargill and Novozymes successfully demonstrate bio-based acrylic acid process, look at commercialisation next year

    • In September 2014, successful conversion of 3-HPA to glacial acrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers.

    BASF, Cargill and Novozymes advance with biobased acrylic acid manufacture

     

     

    In 2013, about 5 million metric tons of acrylic acid will be produced using a petroleum-based process (oxidation of propylene derived from the refining of crude oil) with a value of more than $12 bn.

    One of the main applications is in the manufacture of superabsorbent polymers (polymerization of acrylic acid into polyacrylic acid). Acrylic acid is also used in adhesive raw materials and coatings.

    BASF is the world leader, others main players are Arkema, Dow Chemical, StoHaas Monomer (JV between Evonik and Rohm & Haas), Nippon Shokubai and Formosa Plastics.

     

    Other companies are investing the bio-based route to produce acrylic acid:

    •          OPX Biotechnologies and Dow Chemical (since 2011): fermentation route to make acrylic acid from sugar via the intermediate 3-HPA.

    Dow and OPX Biotechnologies signed a JDA to develop an industrial scale process for the production of biobased acrylic acid

    •              Evonik and OPX Biotechnologies signed a JDA on bio-based chemicals (undisclosed but could be acrylic acid) using OPX’s EDGE technology in June 2013.

    Evonik Industries selects OPX Biotechnologies for Joint development of bio-based chemicals

    • Nippon Shokubai is developing a new acrylic acid process based on glycerine obtained from bio-diesel fuel production. But the advancement and implementation of this route hinged on the availability and cost of glycerol/glycerine, which was impacted by regarding bio-fuels production (of which glycerol/glycerine is produced as a byproduct).
    •           Arkema via the conversion of biobased glycerin into acrylic acid (since 2010) but in stand-by.

    Similarly to Nippon Shokubai, Arkema said: “The glycerin-based process is ready for full-scale manufacturing but we put it on hold after we concluded that it can’t, at present, compete with the propylene route. The acrylic acid supply chain won’t tolerate higher costs. Manufacturers of diapers are not ready to pay a 15% premium because it is a biobased raw material. This is because no consumer is ready to pay a premium for the diaper.”

    • Metabolix via fermentation of dried biomass by 3-HPA (since 2012).

    Six months after ADM dissolved its performance driven PHA biopolymer production JV, Metabolix builds PHA supply deal with Antibioticos - Develops cost-driven biobased acrylic acid

    • Myriant is developing a route to acrylic acid that runs through sugar-derived lactic acid.
    • Novomer is developing a route to acrylic acid that utilizes proprietary catalysts developed to produce polypropiolactone from ethylene oxide.

     

    • The bio-route is a true challenge to implement in a “classic chemical plant”.

    As mentioned below, microorganisms are subject to low pH and need to be robust. Conversion rates have to be high and costs of sourcing low (example with Arkema and Nippon Shokubai disappointed by high cost of the glycerin) to compete with the favorable economics of the petrochemical route.

     

    Sources: Novozymes, Chemweek, Chemical & Engineering, Green Chemicals Blog, Nexant, Tecnon Orbichem.