KSE, INC. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase II: 8.1

Description

The goal of this Phase II SBIR program is to evaluate optimize and demonstrate noveltechnology to convert lignocellulose waste streams into a value-added building-block chemicalspecifically 25-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) at pilot-scale.FDCA is targeted to replacepetroleum-based chemicals used extensively in the textiles polyesters and plastics industries.As adrop-in replacement for petroleum-based terephthalic acid for example the global market isestimated at 84M metric tons in 2022 growing at 3.3% CAGR and valued over $100B.Common sources of lignocellulose include renewable woody substrates agri-residuesdedicated energy crops and municipal solid wastes.This program will demonstrate viability frommultiple woody sources including timber residue such as sawdust/wood chips hydrolysate frompulp & paper processing for example and directly from furfural.Project tasks include pretreatment of lignocellulose biomass to create pentose-rich hydrolysatescaling of reactive distillation techniques to produce furfural catalytically oxidize and subsequentlyconsume CO2 to transform the 5-carbon pentose molecules into the 6-carbon FDCA form.Theprocess will be demonstrated at 5L scale with efficient closed-loop catalyst and solvent recycle.Experimental operating conditions and results will be utilized to develop a techno-economic modelof the process as well as to transition to toll manufacturing scale for commercialization.Societal benefits of utilizing FDCA from this novel process include health benefits associatedwith replacing endocrine disrupting petroleum phthalate-based plastics improved barrier/thermo- mechanical properties for consumer plastics originating from renewable non-food woodyresources with process technology demonstrating a sustainable low carbon footprint serving globalnet-zero emissions aspirations.By the end of our Phase II program we anticipate manufacturing capacity of 25k lbs/yr of FDCAwith projected cumulative sales revenue approaching $10M in the next 5 years.