PFIFF / PFIFFIG – Polymer fibers from biobased furanoates targeting industrial grade

The polycondensate 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (PEF) is easier to handle due to its lower melting point compared to PET and it is preferred for specific applications due to its higher glass transition temperature. PEF also has superior barrier properties to gases, making it predestined for use in the beverage industry. Its higher mechanical stability compared to PET means that smaller wall thicknesses and therefore less material can be used in the manufacture of packaging. The possibility of using agricultural waste as a raw material for the production of these biopolymers will considerably reduce production costs and thus lead to a cheaper packaging material compared to PET.

New raw material platforms for PEF

The focus of the PFIFF project was to develop new feedstock platforms for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), which is accessible from sugars and is considered a future new biobased platform chemical, and for furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), the monomer unit for the production of PEF, which is produced from it. Further tasks in the PFIFF project were the improvement of the polymer properties of PEF, as well as the development of new conversion processes and an increase in production with the ambitious goal of replacing one of the dominant plastics (PET) on the world market.

Synthesis and purification of FDCA

In the project, Fraunhofer IGB's BioCat branch worked on two topics that are crucial for the future industrial production of PEF: the synthesis of FDCA and the development of a process to purify this compound to a quality sufficient for the production of high-quality polymers.

One of the major topics of BioCat's work is electrochemical synthesis. In this context, the institute's staff has succeeded in developing a promising process for the oxidation of 5-HMF to FDCA.

Work on the purification of FDCA has also been very successful. With the commercially available FDCA purified at BioCat, the project partners were able to produce promising polymers for the planned applications.

Outlook: Scale-up of purification process within the follow-up project PFIFFIG

Currently, the BioCat team is working on a second-generation purification process in the follow-up project PFIFFIG, which is to be transferred to the Fraunhofer CBP pilot plants during the course of the project in order to enable the supply of larger quantities of purified FDCA to the project partners.