Material development company Origin Materials commits to the commercial manufacture of the sustainable chemical 5-chloromethyl furfural (CMF). Origin says it has developed a proprietary biomass-to-chemicals production process based on furan chemistry, allowing the conversion of lignocellulosic plant-based carbon into chemical building blocks CMF and hydrothermal carbon (HTC), as well as furfural and levulinic acid, through simple, economical, single-step chemo-catalysis. The company also announces the appointment of Dr. Robin Gibson to director of business development.
5-chloromethyl furfural is a flexible raw material for many chemistries including para-xylene, purified terephthalic acid (PTA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), as well as numerous commodity and specialty chemicals through its derivatives, including furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). At commercial scale, Origin’s process produces CMF with a highly carbon negative cradle-to-gate footprint, according to the company.
“You can find many technical solutions that are sustainable, but very few make sense economically. Origin’s technology turns chloromethyl furfural into a disruptive, important molecule with an incredibly wide range of applications in commodity and specialty chemicals,” says Gibson. “Now, because of Origin’s unique process technology, the carbon footprint of the CMF produced is highly negative and, critically, represents a chemical platform that is very cost competitive with the incumbent petrochem supply chain at scale. It’s an incredibly exciting package.”
Origin Materials CEO John Bissell says, “Robin’s deep experience in the chemical industry, combined with his passion for bringing sustainable, economical chemistries to market, make him an ideal fit for Origin as we advance our mission to help the world’s companies decarbonize.”
Gibson, who joined Origin Materials in 2020, brings 30 years of chemical industry experience, having been responsible for global business development across a wide range of chemical product types and markets. Gibson received his PhD from the University of Birmingham, England, where his work focused on sugar and carbohydrate synthesis.
For more information, visit: www.originmaterials.com
