(104b) New Monomers from Biomass for the Polymer Industry

In this presentation we will discuss a range of biomass-derived monomers that provide the polymer industry with new materials that they can use to create new polymers that are biodegradable, have improved properties, and even lower cost than petroleum-derived monomers. Biomass has a high oxygen content making it a useful feedstock for oxygenated monomers. The monomers include α,ω-diols, di-acids, triols and even a tetrol. Rigours techno-economic analysis indicates that these monomers can be cost competive and even cheaper than petroleum-derived oxygenated monomers. We will discuss three biomass-feedstocks that are used for production of these monomers including 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), Levoglucosenone (LGO) and furfural. HMF can be produced from carbohydrates or cellulose in the aqueous phase. Hydrogenation of HMF produces tetrahydrofurandimethanol (THFDM) or furandimethanol (FDM). While oxygenation of HMF produces furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). HMF can also undergo aldol condensation to form a HAH dimer. LGO can be catalytic conversion into 1,2,5,6 hexanetetrol (tetrol) in near stoichiometric yields. Both HMF and LGO can produce 1,2,6 hexanetriol or 1,6 hexanediol using a bifunctional Pt/WOx/TiO2 catalyst. Furfural can under go a series of reactions to produce 1,5 pentanediol. We will also discuss what classes of polymers can be produced from these molecules.