Covestro produces aniline completely from biomass
December 11, 2020 - Germany
Covestro aims to increasingly use carbon from biomass to replace fossil resources like crude oil. In such a breakthrough, Covestro and its partners have come out with an award-winning production process to derive aniline completely from biomass. All of the carbon content in this basic chemical is taken from plants, such as feed corn, instead of crude oil.
This newly developed process not only produces a smaller carbon footprint, it takes place under milder reaction conditions, making it better for the environment. The process also brings direct economic benefits because a broader base of raw materials helps manufacturers to be more independent of the fluctuations of the market. The manufacturing of bio-based aniline can be derived from non-food feedstocks, even when it comes to supplying larger plants. “Following this breakthrough in the lab, we are now working on developing the technology needed to scale-up this sustainable production process,” the company says.
“Our overall goal is to increase the use of renewable raw materials across our industry, powering chemical production fit for the future. We believe bio-based products are one important step in permanently reducing our carbon emissions and making the chemical industry a more sustainable place,” it says. Just as electricity and the power industry are continuing to become greener, chemical production is increasingly relying on renewable materials and processes.
To advance the circular economy, Covestro is producing plastic from biomass, thus moving carbon in a cycle. “For years, we have been working to end our dependence on fossil fuels by using alternative raw materials like biomass in the production of our products. This has been met with increasing interest from our customers, and as a result, we have developed a diverse portfolio of sustainable solutions for industries across the board,” the company says.
The company has already progressed in the area of sustainable automotive coatings. Paints and coatings are needed in many areas of life, and Covestro produces specialised components that help improve their performance, such as hardeners. “More and more of our paint solutions are formulated from biomass. For example, our hardener for automotive paints. Up to 70 per cent of this product's carbon content is derived from renewable raw materials – without compromising protection or appearance,” it says. In the future, biomass is also set to play a major role in formulating eco-friendly paints for furniture and wood processing.
This newly developed process not only produces a smaller carbon footprint, it takes place under milder reaction conditions, making it better for the environment. The process also brings direct economic benefits because a broader base of raw materials helps manufacturers to be more independent of the fluctuations of the market. The manufacturing of bio-based aniline can be derived from non-food feedstocks, even when it comes to supplying larger plants. “Following this breakthrough in the lab, we are now working on developing the technology needed to scale-up this sustainable production process,” the company says.
“Our overall goal is to increase the use of renewable raw materials across our industry, powering chemical production fit for the future. We believe bio-based products are one important step in permanently reducing our carbon emissions and making the chemical industry a more sustainable place,” it says. Just as electricity and the power industry are continuing to become greener, chemical production is increasingly relying on renewable materials and processes.
To advance the circular economy, Covestro is producing plastic from biomass, thus moving carbon in a cycle. “For years, we have been working to end our dependence on fossil fuels by using alternative raw materials like biomass in the production of our products. This has been met with increasing interest from our customers, and as a result, we have developed a diverse portfolio of sustainable solutions for industries across the board,” the company says.
The company has already progressed in the area of sustainable automotive coatings. Paints and coatings are needed in many areas of life, and Covestro produces specialised components that help improve their performance, such as hardeners. “More and more of our paint solutions are formulated from biomass. For example, our hardener for automotive paints. Up to 70 per cent of this product's carbon content is derived from renewable raw materials – without compromising protection or appearance,” it says. In the future, biomass is also set to play a major role in formulating eco-friendly paints for furniture and wood processing.