Upscaling and Downscaling Purification for a Novel Bioplastic Process 

Member: Industrial Microbes 

Year launched: 2023 - 2025

Using their patented microbe, Industrial Microbes scaled up production of a bioplastic polymer (P3HP) made from ethanol from American-grown corn. P3HP is a novel material with unique properties relevant for films and flexible packaging. It is also a low-cost feedstock for two vital chemical building blocks: acrylic acid and acrylonitrile. These chemicals are core ingredients for products such as lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber for use in armor, aircraft, and more; pressure-sensitive adhesives; low-emission paints; absorbent diapers; and more. The total market for these products exceeds $20 billion.  

Through this project, Industrial Microbes scaled production from grams to 20-kilogram batches, and produced enough of this novel polymer to test for commercial use. This technology shows how U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing can deliver key materials without relying on imports, support American farmers, and improve the domestic supply chain for high-performance materials used in thousands of commercial and defense products.  

Learnings from this project can apply to other products used at a large scale, such as plastic films, carbon fiber, and paints. Members can access resources from this project, including data and results on DSP performance at bench and pilot scale; beneficial strain modifications; a TEA and fermentation process summary, and more in the Member Portal.   

Funding source: U.S. Department of Defense