Editor's note : Recently, we have introduced the industrialization of fully biodegradable plastic PEF in Europe and the United States many times. Many friends are concerned about the domestic technological progress, but I have been following it all the time. Today, I will introduce to you the attempts and progress of the University of Science and Technology of China in the industrialization of this technology.
" Industrialization is divided into two types, one is transformative, such as the industrialization attempt of the University of Science and Technology in quantum information and other aspects. The other is gradual, just solving the problems in industrialization. A certain technical problem can be solved to the extreme. ”
--Xu Yang, Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China
Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China
Weibao’s core technology accumulation: the University of Science and Technology of China received 30 million funding
In the 2018 National Key R&D Program, we see that the University of Science and Technology is among them: span6span
This is a 4-year industrialization project with a funding amount of 24.57 million yuan.
Earlier, the University of Science and Technology of China has received a funding of 5.11 million yuan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' strategic key research project. The name of the project is:
The key technology of lignocellulose aqueous phase depolymerization and the efficient preparation of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural
2018 National Key R&D Program Granted to the University of Science and Technology of China
In 2001, the director of the Biomass Clean Energy Laboratory: Academician Zhu Qingshi
The story goes back to 20 years ago.
In 2001, the University of Science and Technology of China established the " Biomass Clean Energy Laboratory " , with Academician Zhu Qingshi who was the president of the University of Science and Technology as the laboratory director.
Academician Zhu Qingshi inspects the Biomass Clean Energy Laboratory
I remember that there was a three-story building at the University of Science and Technology of China, which was the newly established Biomass Clean Energy Laboratory.
The "Biomass Clean Energy Laboratory" of the University of Science and Technology of China is mainly engaged in the research of converting fast-growing trees and agricultural waste straw and other biomass into liquid fuels.
Biomass Clean Energy Laboratory Early developed some biomass pyrolysis (Biomass Pyrolysis) to produce bio-hydrogen, bio-oil, organic waste Basic research and application technology development in the synthesis of synthesis gas and liquid fuels. The laboratory’s bio-oil production technology has moved from the laboratory to industrialization; the production of hydrogen from biomass, methanol, ethanol, gasoline, diesel and other topics have completed small tests, and some have entered pilot tests.
Regarding the early projects, there have been a lot of industrialization research and reports, so I won't repeat them in this article.
2021: Dr. Xu Yang from the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China
Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China
Xu Yang, Associate Researcher of the Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese University of Science and Technology , during Ph.Undertook a research project on the comprehensive utilization of biomass agricultural and forestry waste . Under the leadership of his tutor, Professor Fu Yao, the research group with Xu Yang as the backbone has developed a new chemical process:
They use water phase depolymerization, molecular distillation and supercritical extraction technology converts straw into usable small molecule compounds, such as sugar, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural , and can then to produce ethanol and degradable furan polyester And other chemical products.
water phase depolymerization, which is the subject of the pilot project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences mentioned above, is a more efficient and advanced process than the earlier straw cracking process.
Dr. Xu Yang, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science and Technology of China
Commercialization of rice straw hydrolysis technology: fully biodegradable plastic PEF
I have introduced fully biodegradable plastic furan many times before The technology of ester PEF , Europe and the United States have already adopted PEF to produce packaging boxes in full swing.This is another huge market with a scale of hundreds of billions. How can we lag behind?
Coca-Cola's PEF fully biodegradable plastic bottle
Carlsberg's PEF fully biodegradable plastic beer bottle
Of course, there are already many commercial degradable plastics, such as Everyone is familiar with PLA, but these biodegradable plastics have their own application scenarios. At present, the largest commercial application scenario of degradable plastic PEF is PET plastic , which completely replaces traditional petrochemical products and one of the world's five largest engineering plastics. Compared with PET, PEF is not only degradable, but also has the advantages of air tightness, thermoplasticity, and better stretchability. It has passed the EU food safety certification and is the main substitute for the EU’s "plastic ban" in 2023.
The technology of the University of Science and Technology of China uses fructose or agricultural and forestry wastes as raw materials to produce PEF through the use of new green chemical synthesis reactions. The three goals of its industrialization project are: Established thousands-ton-level furan-based new material monomer FDCA industrialization demonstration project , monomer FDCA purity reached polymerization level, production cost controlled within 150,000/ton ; I have introduced PEF industrialization in Europe and America many times before. In the early stage, I have cooperated with many Fortune 500 industrial giants, such as process cooperation with BASF and TOYOBO, and applied process research with Coca-Cola and Carlsberg. These are valuable experiences worthy of the industrialization of the University of Science and Technology of China. Of course, I am also very pleased to see that the goal of this technology of the University of Science and Technology of China is to point out that the cost of synthesizing FDCA monomers should be controlled within 150,000/ton. Later, I will introduce the technology and cost of Avantium in the Netherlands, and we can compare them. . Fully biodegradable plastic monomers and raw materials from the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China
The commercialization model of the University of Science and Technology of China
At present, the University of Science and Technology of China's bio-based polyester furan (PEF) is and Hefei Industrialization development of cooperation project of Lifu Biotechnology Co., Ltd. In terms of funding, it is mainly 7 million national project support, 1 million key research project support in Anhui Province, and 19 million cooperative enterprise investment.
Hefei Live Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Currently, the 100-ton pilot test of some key intermediates has been carried out. It is expected that the construction of a thousand-ton industrial demonstration platform, experimental raw materials and consumables will still cost about 50 million .
Hefei Lief R&D Laboratory
According to Xu Yang, professional marketing personnel have been hired through a headhunting company.
According to Hefei Live Biotechnology Co., Ltd. data report:
This industrialization achievement will establish my country’s international leading position in furan-based new materials.To achieve an important breakthrough in the field of heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon polymer materials, so that my country has completely independent intellectual property rights and takes the lead, breaking the monopoly of international material giants BASF and DuPont. The current demand for polyester raw materials is 24 million tons, and 13 million tons are imported. The large-scale production of furan polyester can partially replace the import of this raw material. In addition, the annual domestic demand for modified polyamide is 3 million tons, and the import volume of polyamide chips is 650,000 tons. The large-scale production of furan polyamide can partially replace the import of this key material.
Production line of Hefei Life Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Production line of Hefei Life Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
One of the city's high-tech representative units participated in the on-site project report.
Memorabilia of Hefei Life Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Advanced equipment development is also a business
According to Dr. Xu Yang:
blockquote231 blockquoteWe discovered in the progress of scientific research projects on the market. The purchased equipment cannot meet our needs, so we can only design and process ourselves, and innovate the equipment.
We communicated with fellow researchers and found that they actually need our equipment. In the later promotion, we found that our reaction equipment and separation equipment also have broad application prospects in the field of biomedicine.
I mentioned the industrial chain and R&D and production equipment when many advanced technologies were industrialized.We often have been imitating Europe and the United States in technology, which leads to our over-reliance on the West for advanced equipment. Therefore, when I saw that Dr. Xu Yang introduced the industrialization of the project of the University of Science and Technology of China, he not only designed its own production equipment, but also can apply its production equipment to other advanced manufacturing fields . This is a very praiseworthy thing!
Conclusion
I saw the PEF industrialization project of the University of Science and Technology of China earlier, but did not introduce it, mainly because: First, I did not know the detailed information and patent information of the water phase depolymerization technology, which made me understand these technologies The understanding is based entirely on the trust in this laboratory; second, I have learned about many major national projects before, and the final industrialization has ended rashly, and it has not been able to form actual industrial value (of course, the industrialization of new technologies is inherently risky. , Understandable).
But I read the introduction of Dr. Xu Yang, especially about the problems encountered during the industrialization of PEF and the commercial value of self-developed equipment during the industrialization activities. I am very pleased to share this with you The reason for the story of industrialization.
It is hoped that the 20 years of research conducted by the University of Science and Technology of China will enable China to lead Europe and the United States in the full biodegradable plastic PEF project! come on!
Reference materials
Introduction to the All-Biomass PEF Project from the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China: https://iat.ustc.edu.cn/iat/x179/20210515/4263.html
Hefei Live Biotechnology Co., Ltd. : Http://www.leafresource.com/
Interview with Dr. Xu Yang: https://inews.gtimg.com/newsapp_bt/0/12762241860/1000
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