Sun Grant/TAES Internal Research Project

Chemical Transformation of Biochemical Intermediates: Converting Biorefinery Sugrars to New Polymers and Chemicals

Joseph J. Bozell, Forest Products Center (PI)
Mark Dadmun, Dept. of Chemistry

Abstract:
Economic viability, and therefore, industrial adoption of biorefinery technology will depend on developing a suite of chemical coproducts to accompany high volume, but low value, biofuels. Bioconversions of biorefinery sugar streams are well known, but frequently, technology for further conversion of these intermediates to a wider family of products is scarce. This project will demonstrate that combined biochemical/chemical transformations will lead to new coproducts from process streams expected to be present within the biorefinery. We will focus our study on an intermediate from carbohydrate metabolism, 2-ketoglutaric acid (2-KGA) as a monomer for producing new polyesters, and as a starting material for other renewable-based monomeric chemicals. Three tasks comprise the project: 1) 2-KGA/diol polymerization -polymerization will be optimized using 2-KGA and butanediol as the initial components, and will then be used to prepare polyesters from a wider family of diols; 2) development of other monomers and polymers based on 2-KGA - new chemical intermediates and polymers will be prepared from 2-KGA; 3) Polymer characterization and performance testing - all new polymers will be characterized with regard to molecular weight, thermal, and mechanical properties. Our industrial partner, PolymerOhio, will work with its member companies to provide real world performance testing of the most promising new materials.

Funded: July, 2007
Projected End Date: July, 2009

Reports and Publications:
None to date