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30 BIoteCHnoLoGY Butamax‘ de novo pathway to produce biobutanol with a modified yeast strain 2 NAD + 2 NADH 2 2 NADH 2 NAD + Sugar X 2 Ethanol + 2 CO 2 333 Miller made no secret of the fact that it took some time before the decision-makers of his own company were ready to commit to biotechnology. “Today, even the American consumer is demanding green products,” said Miller with a touch of selfderision. Technology platforms expand the fields of application Citing the example of 1,3-propandiol, a glycol produced biotechnologically from glucose, he explained that sales remained low from 2000 to 2006 but then rose dramatically in 2007. “Our annual growth rates now average 50 percent,“ said Miller. Moreover, DuPont is building its Sorona® polymer platform on biopropandiol—a business that used to be the domain of petrochemistry. These kinds of polymers enable highly dimensionally stable clothing, durable car seat covers, as well as plastic resins that protect against moisture and odors. DuPont supplies other biotechnologically produced materials in such indus tries as cosmetics, packaging, polymers and biofuels. Together with the energy company BP, DuPont has established the joint venture Butamax, which is now developing a second-generation biofuel. Dr. Elke Hofmann, Commercial Director Europe at Butamax Advanced Biofuels, stressed the importance of such biofuels, which have a higher energy content than bioethanol. “One of the biggest weaknesses of bioethanol is its 30 to 40 percent lower energy content compared to conventional fuels,” said Hofmann. “The energy content of biobutanol, on the other hand, is closer to the values of conventional fuels.” So Butamax embarked on a quest for the right butanol molecule. After intensive elements35 Issue 2|2011 O O O ALS KARI O Pyruvate OH CO 2 OH OH Acetolactate Biomass HO HO O OH O DHAD 2 e O O – , 2 H + H2O OH OH Dihydroxyisovalerate O OH KivD CO 2 © Butamax TM Advanced Biofuels LLC research, isobutanol was selected in 2004. “We tested hundreds of different molecules,” said Hofmann. Butamax produces the butanol with a modified yeast strain. Biobutanol shows advantages along the entire value-added chain including the ability to be more easily blended than ethanol at the refinery. In 2007, butanol successfully passed a fleet test that included vehicles from model years as early as the 1990s. So in 2009, the company began construction on a pilot plant in Hull (England), with a specified nominal capacity of 37,000 liters per year. The plant is currently in the start-up phase. “We plan to start marketing the biobutanol in the United States in 2013 with plans to expand to Europe,“ announced Hofmann. 777 O ADH 2 e H – , 2 H + α-Ketoisovalerate Isobutanal Biobutanol OH Dr. thomas Haas heads Evonik´s Biotechnology Science-to-Business Center which is under the direction of Creavis Technologies & Innovation. +49 2365 49-2004 thomas.haas@evonik.com Dr. Jan Pfeffer works as Project Manager Research and Development in the Biotechnology Scienceto-Business Center. +49 2365 49-5457 jan.pfeffer@evonik.com
Robust, flexible, and fast drying: the new clear coating technol ogy from Evonik Two-component (2K) PUR coatings were formerly regarded as the global benchmark for high-grade coatings. They are particularly weather and chemical resistant, and the hardness-to-elasticity ratio is right. Another advantage is that they cure at room temperature. In certain applications, however, the abrasion resistance of the coating films leaves much to be desired. The new polysilane system developed by Evonik offers many of the advantages of 2K PUR coatings, and it is at the same time especially tough. With this development, Evonik has solved a problem that persisted for a long time. In the past, many silane-based coatings lacked the desired flexibility, due to their high crosslinking density and high SiO 2 content. Evonik‘s new coatings show none of the unwanted brittleness. This result was achieved by developing a resin concept based on oligomeric silane resins in combination with acrylate polyols with a balanced ratio of organic and inorganic components. An important feature is that, because of the high reactivity of polysilanes toward water and polyols, these coatings are processed as two-component systems. Evonik has also developed a novel catalyst concept for its new coatings. Thanks to this development, the polysilane coatings cure rapidly even at room temperature. The new coatings thus provide a genuine alternative to the current standard. Credits Publisher Evonik Degussa GmbH Innovation Management Chemicals & Creavis Rellinghauser Straße 1–11 45128 Essen Germany scientific Advisory Board Dr. Norbert Finke Evonik Degussa GmbH Innovation Management Chemicals & Creavis norbert.finke@evonik.com editor in Chief Dr. Karin Aßmann Evonik Services GmbH Konzernredaktion karin.assmann@evonik.com Contribution editors Christa Friedl Michael Vogel Design Michael Stahl, Munich (Germany) Photos Evonik Industries Karsten Bootmann Dieter Debo Tim Wegner Stefan Wildhirt Sunovation (p. 21, 23, 24) Butamax (p. 29) Stuwil/Fotolia (title) Pinnacle Pictures/Getty Images (p. 4 top) Stefan Richter/Fotolia (p. 8) Nazira/Fotolia (p.11) slobo/iStockphoto (p.12 bottom) Mauritius Images/Phototake (p.19) Printed by Laupenmühlen Druck GmbH & Co.KG Bochum (Germany) neWs 31 Demanding façade design with PLEXIGLAS® Mineral PLEXIGLAS® Mineral for extremely weather-resistant structural shells Individual façade design depends on the interplay of touch, shape and light. PLEXIGLAS® Mineral provides new options for this purpose. This mineralfilled acrylic is homogeneously colored, can be thermoformed in two or three dimensions and shows unique reflection behavior. „PLEXIGLAS® Mineral makes it possible to achieve story-high, formed, individually routed or printed façade elements,“ says Ralf Nettner, Product Manager for PLEXIGLAS® Mineral at the Acrylic Polymers Business Line of Evonik Industries. „Our material paves the way for creative ideas.“ But PLEXIGLAS® Mineral not only has a stylish look, it is also exceptionally tough and defies all winds and weathers. The façade material offers high impact strength and UV stability. It can be fastened to all conventional supporting structures. It combines a velvety reflective surface with high brilliance and durable color stability. PLEXIGLAS® Mineral is available in many standard colors as well as individual shades. PLEXIGLAS® Mineral is extremely flame-retardant and emits very little smoke. Its combustion gases are neither corrosive nor toxic. The material is rated Class D, s2, d0 to EN 13501-1. PLEXIGLAS® Mineral NF is rated in Class C, s1, d0. Reproduction only with permission of the editorial office Evonik Industries is a worldwide manufacturer of PMMA products sold under the PLEXIGLAS® trademark on the European, Asian, African, and Australian continents and under the ACRYLITE® trademark in the America elements35 Issue 2|2011
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