Published on April 16, 2014
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) which is a strong but lightweight form of clear polyester is one of the most recycled polymers with the aim of making polyester fibre, flim and bottle and it is also used to make containers for the storage of bottles, edible oils and household applications. The chemical is by and large made from two monomers – Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) and Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) and currently few 54 mt has being manufactured globally.
Both these monomers mostly come from the petrochemical industry where MEG is produced from Ethylene and PTA is produced from the aromatics module of naphtha crackers or from crude oil refiners. The production of Ethylene from bio-ethanol has opened an itinerary to make MEG from renewable ethylene, which is commercially done at a handful of plants in the world as well as by India Glycols Ltd. (IGL) in India.
Few PET bottle manufacturers uses this bio MEG to produce packaging for the reminiscent of Coca-Cola, Heinz and Proctor & Gamble who eulogize the green credentials.
Last year in the month of August 2013, Chemical industries like Gevo which is a leading renewable chemical and advanced biofuels company has opened a demonstration-scale Paraxylene plant in Silsbee, Texas with a support from the Japanese chemical giant Toray Industries and Coca-Cola company. This new production technology for the renewable Paraxylene is a key building block for producing effusive renewable and non petroleum derived PET beverage bottles and polyester for packaging films and fibers which are widely used in apparel and other applications.
Under a joint development agreement between Gevo and Coke, the company has provided a research and development support for this plant, whereas, Tory Industries had provided funding assistance for the construction of the Paraxylene plant to Gevo. In the year 2011, chemical industries Gevo and Toray had produced fully renewable and recyclable PET fibers and films from isobutanol at laboratory scale.
BioForming process by Virent which is replacing crude oil by creating the chemicals and fuels the world demands using a wide range of naturally-occurring, renewable resources uses heterogeneous catalysts at moderate temperatures and pressures to diminish the oxygen content of the carbohydrate feedstock mixtures to produce drop-in hydrocarbons.
However the efforts made by the Coca-Cola Company have also encouraged Ford to consider renewable polyester fibre based on this moderately renewable PET for their car interior furnishing and their premium hybrid cars which appeal to green consumers.
