Chemical process technology developer Rennovia (Menlo Park, California / USA; www.rennovia.com) has entered into a collaboration with fellow technology developer and licensor Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies (JM Davy, London / UK; www.davyprotech.com) to develop, demonstrate and commercialise catalytic process technologies to manufacture bio-based glucaric acid and adipic acid.

Under the agreement, the companies undertook to cooperate in realising new processes based on Rennovia’s technology for the catalytic aerobic oxidation of glucose to glucaric acid, which by means of catalytic hydrogenation turns into adipic acid – a key feedstock for PA 6.6 and other engineering plastics as well as polyester polyols and polyurethanes. The partners said they plan to develop a technology that allows for commercial production of the bio-based feedstocks that they plan to produce at a lower cost than the petroleum-based alternative.

Commenting on the collaboration, Rennovia CEO Robert Wedinger said, “We look forward to working with JM Davy to deliver technologies to the marketplace that are scalable, less capital-intensive, and cost-advantaged over current petrochemical processes.”

Rennovia, which just received a USD 25m investment from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM, Decatur, Illinois / USA; www.adm.com) – see Plasteurope.com of 24.02.2014 – last year sent first samples of what it said was the world’s first 100% bio-based PA 6.6 polymer to a prospective sample. Sold under the “Rennlon” trade mark, the material is made of Rennovia’s Rennlon adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine (HMD) renewable monomers. The company, which was founded in 2009, says production costs for its renewable monomers is expected to be 20-25% below that of the relevant petroleum-based alternative, while at the same time enabling a reduction of between 50-85% on greenhouse gas emissions.