Reaction Engineering to Produce High Purity Bio-Based 1,3-Propanediol

DuPont developed a novel bio-process and started production of 1,3-propanediol (PDO) from corn in Loudon Tennessee in October 2006. Sorona® and Cerenol® are two of the sustainable and environmentally friendly materials that are made and marketed from bio-PDO. Production of bio-PDO and its polymerization offer new technical challenges and opportunities. Bio-PDO is produced by fermentation of glucose, generating a fermentation broth with a complex composition containing numerous bio-based impurities. Development of a catalytic hydrogenation process to produce a high quality PDO and the unique challenges of this process development will be presented.