USA: Bio-Based Intermediates Eastman Licenses FDCA Technology to Origin Materials

Eastman Chemical Company and Origin Materials have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement for Eastman to license its proprietary 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid and FDCA derivatives production technology from renewable resources to Origin Materials.

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Kingsport/USA — Origin (formerly known as Micromidas) also recently purchased an oxidation pilot plant from Eastman to demonstrate the licensed technology. Terms of the license agreement and pilot plant sale were not disclosed.

FDCA has been identified by the US Department of Energy as one of the top 12 bio-based building blocks, and can be converted into a number of high-value chemicals or materials. The material can be used to produce polymer resins, films, and fibers and as a building block for plasticizers. The largest initial applications are expected to be to make 100 % bio-based plastics, such as polyethylene furanoate (PEF) for beverage containers and food packaging.

Eastman has developed technologies for the conversion of 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural (5-HMF) and its derivatives to crude FDCA, polymer grade FDCA and polymer grade dimethylfuran-2,5-dicarboxylate (DMF). The technology is broadly flexible in terms of feedstocks and provides efficient production of crude FDCA, polymer grade FDCA and polymer grade DMF.

John Bissell, CEO of Origin Materials, said the company is excited by the opportunities created by this licensing agreement. “This technology will enable us to produce FDCA monomer, which can then be used by our customers to develop PEF bottles, films and other plastics from our intermediate chemicals,” said Bissell.

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