Manufacture of 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid from Furfural Produced from a Lignocellulosic Waste Stream

The overall goal of this Phase I SBIR program is to evaluate optimize and economically scalenovel technology to convert a lignocellulose waste stream into a value-added intermediatechemical specifically 25-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) at high selectivity and without pre- purification of the biomass compounds.FDCA is targeted to replace petroleum-based acids usedextensively in the textiles polyesters and plastics industries.The global market as a drop-inreplacement for terephthalic acid (PTA) is estimated at 79Mmetric tons in 2020 with a CAGRof 3.3%.Common sources of lignocellulose include renewable woody substrates agri-residues dedicatedenergy crops and municipal solid wastes.One identified feedstock from forest relatedresources being a hydrolysate stream from pulp & paper processing.Project tasks include improving reactive distillation & catalytic conversion of pentosecarbohydrates to furfural converting batch scale to continuous oxidation of furfural to furoicacid review alternative alkali metal catalyst combinations to economically maximize FDCAyield implement a closed-loop catalyst regeneration process to control costs and develop aneconomic model based on the R&D program to demonstrate overall economic value proposition.A subsequent Phase II program would further enhance optimize and scale up these technologiesto develop an integrated and highy intensified process targeting a pulp mill hydrolysate wastestream for production of a value-added FDCA product.Societal benefits of utilizing FDCA from this novel process include health improvementsassociated with replacing endocrine disrupting phthalate-based plastics improvedbarrier/thermo-mechanical properties of consumer plastics originating from renewableresources with process technology demonstrating a more sustainable carbon footprint.