PEF, a 100% bio-based polyester: Synthesis, Properties & Sustainability GJ Gruter, Avantium HORIZON 2020 EUROPEAN UNION FUNDING FOR RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Agenda Avantium introduction YXY Technology (PEF, next generation polyester) PEF properties PEF markets Development Pilot Plant/ Road to commercialization New Chemistries: Mekong Technology (MEG) New Chemistries: Zambezi Technology (2G glucose) Summary 2
Avantium Business Units Catalysis R&D systems & services New Chemistry project portfolio YXY technology development Profitable, cash-flow positive & growing business Innovative routes from biomass to chemicals - Lignocellulosic (2G) glucose - Direct route to MEG from carbohydrates Next generation bio-based furanic monomer and polymer technology 3
Avantium profile Advanced Technology Foundations: High-throughput catalyst discovery & development Biobased Chemicals Company: YXY: Cost effective catalytic process to convert plant based feedstock into chemical building blocks: FDCA and Levulinics and materials: PEF Mekong: Cost effective catalytic process to convert C6 carbohydrates to MEG Zambezi: Cost effective high purity glucose from lignocellulosic biomass. The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, ALPLA YXY partners for the development of 100% bio-based PEF bottles. Wifag-Polytype for PEF thermoformed products. New partnerships for PEF films and fibers (carpets) initiated. Privately held: supported by Swire, TCCC, Danone, ALPLA, Sofinnova, Capricorn, ING, Aescap, Aster ( 35M financing round closed summer 2014). 150+ employees, Headquarters in Amsterdam, Pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands Planned commercial production of PEF in 2018 4
PEF - The Next Generation Polyester Crude oil C 6 -Sugars MEG PTA biomeg FDCA Yesterday: PET 100% Fossil Today: BioPET 20% Plants Tomorrow: PEF 100% Plants Confidential 5
GEVO TPA MEG Options overview by atom efficiency (theoretical max weight yield from C6 carbohydrates) C2 = ethylene 6
PEF has barrier! O 2 O 2 O 2 H 2 O O 2 O 2 CO 2 H 2 O O 2 O 2 CO 2 O 2 H 2 O CO 2 O 2 O 2 O 2 7
PEF: the Next Generation Polyester Superior performance over PET: O 2 barrier: 10x improvement H 2 O barrier: 2x improvement CO 2 barrier: 4x improvement Improved Thermal Stability Tg: ~88 C 12 C higher than PET Excellent Mechanical Properties: Tensile Modulus PEF : 1.6* PET Significant reduction in carbon footprint* 70% lower carbon emission 65% lower NREU Oxygen (O 2 ) 10x Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) 4x Water (H 2 O) 2x * Patel et al. Energy Environ. Sci. 2012, 5, 6407 8
Additional properties Improved Crystallization Behavior No co-monomer needed to reduce crystallization rate. PEF exhibits well behaved stress-strain curves and strain hardening behavior. PEF rheology comparable with typical PET grades PEF heat distortion temperature is ~12 C higher than PET (77 C PEF vs 65 C for PET) Hydrolytic stability similar as PET 9
YXY Technology The New PEF Supply Chain dehydration oxidation MMF FDCA PEF polymerization processing PEF can be Produced in Existing PET Assets Chemical catalytic process Cost competitive at industrial scale Proven at pilot plant scale Fit with existing assets Existing PET assets Existing ISBM assets Existing thermoforming assets 10
YXY Technology Demonstrated at Pilot Plant From lab scale to pilot plant scale Location: Chemelot site ( Brightlands ) in Geleen, the Netherlands Start operations: December 2011 Name plate capacity: 20 tpy crude MMF; 5 tpy pfdca isolated; expansion planned Objective: demonstrate YXY technology scale-up and produce volumes FDCA for application development Organization: 24/7 operational, under full control and ownership of Avantium 11
Targeting Multi-Bn$ Markets - create market Pull PET Film 5 mt PET Bottles 18 mt = PET Bottles 18 mt Expected market growth 7-8% p.a. PET Fibers 43 mt = = PET Film 5 mt Rigid thermoformed packaging Flexible packaging PET Fibers 43 mt Carpet Clothing Tire cords 12
PEF Performance Enables Penetration of Existing and New Markets Current markets: New markets: glass aluminum foil carton 13
First PEF T-shirts of 100% recycled PEF bottles 100% Biobased Made from 100% Recycled PEF Conventional polyester spinning technology Conventional polyester dyeing technology Thesis Dolmans ITA, RWTH 2013 14
Safety Food Contact Safety studies finalized: Polymer and monomer are safe EFSA petition filed in 2013; positive opinion published 2014 FDA registration under preparation Safety studies FDCA monomer to support REACH registration: Monomer is demonstrated to be safe REACH registration completed 2013 15
Recycling Goal: find the optimal end-of-life solution for PEF polymer Close collaboration with recycling community and partners End goal: PEF to PEF recycling: Mechanical recycling: demonstrated (similar to PET) Chemical recycling: demonstrated PEF depolymerization Conducting sorting trials at PET recyclers Conducting trials of potential effects of PEF in rpet streams 16
Why is PEF attractive for brand owners Why is PEF, a Next Gen Polymer Interesting? Cost benefit Potential to reduce need for expensive barrier technologies and light weighting Consumer benefit More packaging choices; longer shelf life Environmental benefit Reduction in carbon footprint Supply Chain benefit Different sourcing options from biobased feedstock; retrofit in non-economic assets 17
YXY Technology Road to Commercialization Pilot Plant scale Commercial scale Industrial scale On stream On stream 2018 On stream in >2020 Name plate capacity: 5tpa PEF Goal: prove technology Owned & Operated by Avantium Name plate capacity: 5-50 ktpa Goal: commercial launch of PEF Bottle by partners Own & Operate and/or Joint Venture Name plate capacity: >200 ktpa Goal: roll-out of PEF bottles through beverage markets Licensing model for global deployment of technology 18
Avantium Business Units Catalysis R&D systems & services New Chemistry project portfolio YXY technology development Profitable, cash-flow positive & growing business Innovative routes from biomass to chemicals - Lignocellulosic (2G) glucose - Direct route to MEG from carbohydrates Next generation bio-based furanic monomer and polymer technology 19
FDCA (PEF) MEG (via Hydrogenolysis) Avantium New Chemistry Research our vision Hurdles for scale bio-based chemicals adoption Theoretical yield from sugar Cost: inefficient (petro-based) conversion routes Sustainability: need 2G supply for long term sustainability Quality: no cost competitive high-purity 2G-glucose available 29% 46% 67% 87% 100% Avantium has found efficient routes from 2G feedstock to bio-chemicals based on its leading chemical catalysis know-how 20
MEKONG: One step conversion from C6 to Bio-MEG PlantBottle TM program by Coca-Cola and its stated goal to reach 100% use of Bio-MEG in all its PET bottles generates a market of at least 1 million ton per year by 2020 Today Bio-MEG is produced in a four-step process that was optimized for fossil feedstock, leading to significant price premium over petro-meg Avantium has developed a one-step, highly selective hydrogenolysis conversion from C6 sugars (cellulose, starch and glucose) to MEG, enabling high carbon efficiency (>2 MEG per C6) leading to a potential cost lower than today s bio- and petro-meg price Avantium is open for partnering for scale-up to pilotdemonstration scale and commercial scale C6 C6 Fermentation Dehydration Oxidation Hydration MEG Hydrogenolysis MEG 21
ZAMBEZI: High purity 2G (non-food) glucose competitive with 1G Signficant 1G glucose is produced for use in Bio fuels, supported by mandates and subsidies. Most 2G glucose is not pure enough for Bio-Chemicals and not cost competitive without incentives. A large market demand is building for high purity 2Gglucose for various bio-materials and chemical intermediates Avantium has further developed proven high-acid/lowtemperature conversion of ligno-cellulose to 2G-glucose with unprecendented purity, cost competitive with 1G-glucose, opening up the biochemical space for large scale 2G use Avantium is seeking investors and partners to complete the development and build the supply chain 22
Summary PEF: The Next Generation Polyester Superior barrier performance, mechanical- and thermal properties Reduced carbon footprint Recyclable Cost competitive at industrial scale Collaborating with The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, ALPLA, and Wifag//Polytype to launch the first PEF packaging on the market in 2018 New partnerships to develop applications for PEF films and PEF fibers and other FDCA applications Preparation of first commercial FDCA plant ongoing Open to start new collaborations on bio-meg and 2G glucose 23