Global life sciences and material sciences major Royal DSM (Heerlen / Netherlands; www.dsm.com) and US biotech company Genomatica (San Diego, California; www.genomatica.com) have confirmed that initial in-depth testing of bio-based BDO conducted by the Dutch company has scored high marks and makes it a viable option to the current fossil-based product. DSM says it plans to begin using the Californian's process technology in the commercial production of its "Arnitel" products. The company said the bio-based BDO was of higher purity and, when used to form polymers, the bio-based product delivered similar in-spec behaviour and properties of polymers made using petroleum-based BDO, thus requiring no change to DSM's processes.

Arnitel is a high-performance engineering plastic with flexibility, high temperature resistance, strength and excellent processing characteristics, according to DSM. The testing involved determine whether the bio-based product could be commercially viable to produce PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), one of the feedstocks used in Arnitel TPC.

The next step now calls for transitioning DSM's Arnitel portfolio to the new BDO and this can begin as soon as supplies are available from one of the producers licenced by Genomatica to use its process.

German chemical giant BASF (Ludwigshafen; www.basf.com) announced in late November 2013 it had produced the first commercial volumes of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) from renewable raw material also using the Californian process technology, with test volumes being made available to customers – see Plasteurope.com of 29.11.2013.