Plantebaserede drikkeflasker kan produceres af FDCA

VTT Technical Research Centre i Finland har udviklet en miljøvenlig og økonomisk overskuelig metode til at producere furan dicarboxylic acid, FDCA, af plantesukker til brug i produktionen af eksempelvis drikkeflasker

The main production material of drinking bottles is still oil-based PET although there has been news on alternatives based on renewable materials during the last few years.

VTT’s new method provides a new route for the packaging and beverage industries to expand the use of renewable materials in their production.

VTT has patented the method for producing furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), the monomer for PEF polymers, from sugar or sugar waste.

Thanks to the solid acid catalyst and biobased solvent with short reaction time, the method provides a considerable reduction of toxic waste compared to traditional methods.

The method can be scaled-up to industrial purposes without substantial investments, and it has already raised a lot of interest in industry.

The R&D work has been funded by VTT and Tekes,

VTT will present the method in its 'Green Plastics without the bio-premium' webinar on 27thSeptember, 2017: http://makingoftomorrow.com/green-plastics-without-the-bio-premium/

-hawin