Toray Industries, Inc. (Tokyo) announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with PTT Global Chemical PLC (PTTGC; Bangkok, Thailand) to explore mass production technology for adipic acid made from non-edible biomass (agricultural waste from producing plant-based foods).
Toray and GC will jointly evaluate the feasibility of mass production technology and commercialization in Thailand and Japan. If the business plan is determined viable, they aim to commercially manufacture several thousand metric tons of bio-based muconic and bio-based adipic acid annually by 2030. Muconic acid is an organic compound obtained from sugar using bioconversion technology. It can be transformed into adipic acid through hydrogenation reactions, a process for which PTTGC has essential technologies.
Last year, both companies began jointly developing technology to produce these raw materials for nylon-6,6 from non-edible biomass-derived sugars made at Cellulosic Biomass Technology Co., Ltd., a Thai company in which Toray has an 84% stake. And in 2022, Toray became the first company in the world to begin producing bio-based adipic acid.
A proposed synthesis route for biomass-based nylon (Source: Toray)
GC employs its proprietary fermentation technology to quickly convert non-edible sugars into high yields of muconic acid. Toray uses its hydrogenation process to produce high yields of high-purity bio-adipic acid from muconic acid. The resulting bio-based adipic acid can serve as a raw material for nylon-6,6 for resins and fibers similar to the petroleum-derived nylon-6,6. On top of that, the manufacturing process does not generate nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas by-product typically associated with chemical synthesis-based processes.
Toray and GC will build a supply chain to manufacture tens of thousands of metric tons of bio-based adipic acid from agricultural waste in Thailand, which is rich in natural resources. They will use this acid to make eco-friendly nylon-6,6, assisting efforts to create a circular economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions.