Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research Release: Itaconic Acid And Methacrylic Acid As Chemical Building Blocks Of The Future

Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research wants to take a significant step forward in the production of itaconic acid and methacrylic acid for high value materials, such as coatings and inks. These acids that are produced from biomass are interesting alternatives for components that are currently still produced from fossil resources. In the ‘MethaForm’-project, Wageningen UR collaborates with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), EOC Belgium and Van Wijhe Paint on the further development of itaconic acid and methacrylic acid as building blocks for performance materials.

‘In this project we are continuing the development of biotechnological processes for the production of itaconic acid from sugars, and catalytic processes for the production of methacrylic acid from itaconic acid’ says Daan van Es, project manager from Wageningen UR. ‘We want to show the technological feasibility of producing high value polymers and materials, using these bio-based building blocks.’

Methacrylic acid from itaconic acid

Itaconic acid can be obtained by fermentation of sugars. Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research has developed a chemical process for producing methacrylic acid from itaconic acid. Methacrylic acid is currently still produced from fossil resources. Polymers based on methacrylic acid are being used in the production of coatings and textile, as well as in alternatives for glass, such as plexiglas®.

Comparison in specific applications

In the MethaForm-project researchers want to compare itaconic acid and methacrylic acid in specific applications, since both building blocks are related. Furthermore, they want to show that the bio- based building blocks can be processed in the same way as their petrochemical analogues. MethaForm is complaint with the ambitions of the Dutch Topsector Chemistry, which strives to make the Netherlands the country for green chemistry by 2050, as well as part of the top three producers of smart materials.

BPM R&D programme and symposium

The MethaForm-project is part of the large-scale research programme Biobased Performance Materials (BPM). On Thursday June 16th , Wageningen UR is organising the BPM symposium to address current biobased performance materials research developments – including presentations from ADM, Sabic, Dupont, Van Wijhe Paints, Icopal, Sulzer and Croda.

The goal of the BPM programme is to develop high-quality materials based on biomass; materials that are increasingly applied in practice. The research focuses on two types of polymer materials: polymers produced by plants and polymers from biobased building blocks produced via biotechnology or chemical catalysis. The BPM programme is partly financed by the Dutch government of Economic Affairs via the Top Sector Chemistry.

Note for the editor

For more information, please contact:

Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research – Daan van Es (project manager biobased chemicals) – tel. +31 317 481160 or daan.vanes@wur.nl

More information on the BPM symposium can be found on www.biobasedperformancematerials.nl/uk

About Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research

Food & Biobased Research develops insights and technologies that support companies, governments and other research institutes in the development of healthy and tasty foods, truly-sustainable food chains and chemicals and materials that use biomass instead of fossil resources.

We are part of Wageningen UR (University & Research centre), with the aim to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. With approximately 30 locations, 6,000 members of staff and 9,000 students, Wageningen UR is a world leader in its domain. An integral way of working, and cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are key to its approach.

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