Based on scientific research initially performed in Professor George Huber's laboratory at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the process has subsequently been developed by Anellotech. Bio-TCat is covered under issued patents and filed patent applications owned by Anellotech, as well as those licensed on an exclusive and global basis from the University of Massachusetts.
Anellotech’s patented Bio-TCat technology is a fluid bed catalytic pyrolysis process that converts biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene (AnelloMate™ BTX), which are bio-based and chemically identical to petroleum-derived counterparts.
In addition to AnelloMate BTX, Bio-TCat technology produces a heavier aromatics product, AnelloMate Distillate, which can be upgraded into a high-quality bio-diesel (and potetentially bio-jet) fuel blend-stock.
By using third party technologies, cellulosic ethanol or hydrogen can be made from carbon monoxide which is one of the Bio-TCat’s gaseous co-products.
Anellotech can work with with governmental authorities to qualify these products as cellulosic fuels to benefit from RINs and other subsidies and mandates.
In addition to AnelloMate BTX, Bio-TCat technology produces a heavier aromatics product, AnelloMate Distillate, which can be upgraded into a high-quality bio-diesel (and potetentially bio-jet) fuel blend-stock.
By using third party technologies, cellulosic ethanol or hydrogen can be made from carbon monoxide which is one of the Bio-TCat’s gaseous co-products.
Anellotech can work with with governmental authorities to qualify these products as cellulosic fuels to benefit from RINs and other subsidies and mandates.
Bio-TCat - Current Feedstocks
Anellotech has used loblolly pine as the feedstock for its development program and intends to do so for first commercial plant. Loblolly pine was selected as it is abundant, relatively low cost, and has low ash content. There is an existing, highly efficient supply chain for growing, harvesting, and transporting millions of tons for industrial applications.Bio-TCat - Future Feedstock
The MinFree™ and Bio-TCat™ processes can be adapted to use other readily available non-food biomass inputs, including woods such as eucalyptus, as well as agricultural residues such as corn stover, empty fruit bunch (palm) and sugar cane bagasse. Anellotech is seeking partners to participate in these development programs.Applications
Chemical Building Blocks for a Range of End-Use Product Applications
Anellotech Bio-TCat™ processes produce aromatics from non food biomass. AnelloMate™ BTX (i.e. benzene, toluene and xylene) can be used to make a range of high-volume commodity polymers, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, polyurethane, nylon, SBR, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and other polymers. In turn, these are then used to produce beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, carpeting, automotive components, electronic components and a broad range of other products. Currently, 100% of these everyday products are made from petro-sourced BTX.
Applications
Biofuels
From AnelloMate BTX, toluene and xylenes can be used directly as 2nd generation (non-food) gasoline blendstock. The benzene product can be converted into cyclohexane (using existing 3rd party commercial processes) for use as a biofuel blendstock as well.
Anellomate Distillate can be readily converted into bio-diesel using existing refinery processes. The Company is also studying use of Distillate for bio-jet applications.
The carbon monoxide (CO)-rich gas product stream can be used for making cellulosic ethanol (via 3rd party processes) or for use in various CO chemistries.
In December 2021 – Suntory Group, in partnership with Anellotech, announced that the company has successfully created a prototype PET bottle made from 100% plant‐based materials, using Bio-based Paraxylene from the TCat-8 Demo Plant.
These markets are a substantial opportunity for Anellotech and its licensees. Despite strong demand from beverage companies, there is no renewable bio-paraxylene, the base feedstock for PET, commercially-available on the market today. Approximately 54 million tons of PET is manufactured globally and PET usage in beverage bottles is expected to grow over 5% per year over the next five years. Numerous large-scale Bio-TCat plants would need to be constructed just to satisfy this beverage bottling demand growth.
Suntory, one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies, has partnered with Anellotech to advance the development and commercialization of cost-competitive aromatics including bio-paraxylene – the key missing component needed to make 100% bio-based PET bottles. The alliance was honored as a 'Top 10 Innovation' award at the 2017 Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF) in Japan, and received the 2022 Plastics Industry Association’s PLASTICS’ 2022 Innovation in Bioplastics Award.
Suntory, one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies, has partnered with Anellotech to advance the development and commercialization of cost-competitive aromatics including bio-paraxylene – the key missing component needed to make 100% bio-based PET bottles. The alliance was honored as a 'Top 10 Innovation' award at the 2017 Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF) in Japan, and received the 2022 Plastics Industry Association’s PLASTICS’ 2022 Innovation in Bioplastics Award.
David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech holding the first 100% plant-based plastic bottle made with Anellotech Bio-based Paraxylene.
Three Reasons Why Bio-TCat™ Is A Game Changer
- Cost-Competitiveness: By using a one-reactor catalytic process, Anellotech has a significant competitive advantage over competing biobased chemical and fuels processes. By using renewable, readily available non-food feedstocks, the Bio-TCat process is less expensive compared to competing processes relying on sugar feedstock, and avoids competition with the food chain.
- Process Efficiency: Bio-TCat performs all process reactions in one fluid bed reactor, where biomass is thermally broken down and then catalytically converted into BTX and heavier aromatics. This single step process uses a cost-effective catalyst being jointly developed with Johnson Matthey, to produce aromatics with commercially-attractive yields. By going directly from biomass to aromatics in one step, Anellotech does not make highly-oxygenated bio-oil intermediate products, often seen in multi-step pyrolysis processes, and so avoids the need to add significant amounts of costly hydrogen.
- Sustainability Impact: Since Bio-TCat generates the required process energy from the biomass feedstock itself, the bio-aromatics products are manufactured with a very low carbon footprint. Anellotech's life cycle analysis, validated by Jacobs Engineering, showed a greenhouse gas reduction potential of 70% or more when compared to petroleum-derived equivalents. If Bio-TCat products are used as renewable gasoline and distillate fuel blendstocks rather than polymer feedstocks, the reduction potential exceeds 90%.