Milestone achieved in bio-based acrylic acid process

In August 2012, BASF, Cargill and Novozymes announced their joint agreement to develop a process for the conversion of renewable raw materials into a 100% bio-based acrylic acid. Yesterday, they reached an important milestone.

The companies have successfully demonstrated the production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) - a renewable-based building block and one possible chemical precursor to acrylic acid - in pilot scale. They have also established several technologies to dehydrate 3-HP to acrylic acid at lab scale.

BASF is the world’s largest producer of acrylic acid - a high-volume chemical that feeds into a broad range of products. Teressa Szelest, the company’s Senior Vice President Global Hygiene Business, explained, “3-HP is a potential key raw material for the production of bio-based acrylic acid, which is a precursor of superabsorbent polymers.” Superabsorbent polymers can soak up large amounts of liquid and are used mainly in nappies and other hygiene products.

Acrylic acid is currently produced by the oxidation of propylene derived from the refining of crude oil. But Rasmus von Gottberg, Vice President of Corporate Development and Business Creation at Novozymes, noted that with the production of 3-HP, “We have shown that it is possible to make this key chemical building block from renewable raw materials in robust industrial conditions. Now the development work will continue towards commercialisation.”

Superabsorbent polymers derived from bio-based acrylic acid could be groundbreaking for the market, with nappies made of such polymers meeting the demand of a significant and growing group of consumers. They also may allow nappy producers to meet consumer demands, differentiate their products and contribute to their sustainability goals.

“We still have a fair amount of work to do before the process is commercially ready,” said Szelest, “but this is a significant milestone and we are confident we can continue to the next level of scale-up for the entire process in 2014.”