We, at Tecnon OrbiChem, finally published on September 20 our first issue of the monthly newsletter Bio-Materials & Intermediates. It was a 50-page newsletter (Whew!!) with lots of information that will be hard to find anywhere else. If you haven’t yet, feel free to check out our sample issue last July on the link above.
In the meantime, the blog saw several big news last week and actually had several interviews related to these news. I will share some of them here but all information that I had was already included in the newsletter for those who have already subscribed.
Let’s start with Elevance’s announcement on its new C18 diacids known as octadecanedioic acid (ODDA) under the trademark Inherent(tm). The mid-chain length diacid has long been available in the market in limited quantities but Elevance’s metathesis processing technology at its newly started 180 ktpa biorefinery in Gresik, Indonesia, now made it possible for the diacid to be largely commercially produced with the potential of significantly expanding its applications in several markets.
For example, according to Elevance, a C18 diacid will allow polyamides to enter new automotive and electronic applications that demand better hydrolytic performance, improved optical properties and greater material toughness or flexibility.
In polyester polyols, ODDA enables the creation of new, previously unattainable pre-polymers, helping polyurethane manufacturers create polymers with exceptional solvent resistance, hydrolytic stability, optical clarity and toughness that will benefit automotive, food service, medical and other markets.
Products made with their Inherent(tm) C18 diacid are also expected to be cost-competitive with products made with more common, shorter-chain diacids. Other mid-chain diacids such as C10, C12 are already used extensively in polyamide and polyester chemistries (and other applications).
According to Elevance, the C18 diacid has been extensively evaluated but has not been broadly used in products to its limited supply. ODDA has actually been produced (and is still being produced by other companies) via biofermentation process. Cathay Industrial Biotechnology is the only C18 diacid producer that the blog currently knows so far. The company started production of this diacid in 2003 and the former Cognis Group has been known to market the C18 diacid under the brand Emerox 118.
Cathay Industrial Biotechnology is currently offering custom manufacturing for this product at its fermentation facility in Jining, Shandong, China.
According to Elevance, if demand increases for the product, Elevance has the capability to build a world-scale production for this material with a capacity of around 10-20 ktpa.
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