The companies recently signed a joint development deal to prove the technical and economic viability of an industrial-scale process to produce acrylic acid.
The acrylic acid will be produced using a fermentable sugar feedstock with equal performance qualities as petroleum-based acrylic acid, creating a direct replacement option for the market.
If collaborative research is successful, the companies plan to discuss commercialization opportunities that could bring bio-based acrylic acid to market in three to five years.
As a producer of acrylic acid and esters Dow will provide its expertise in industrial chemistry, process optimization and product development.
OPXBIO, a company that uses biotechnology to convert renewable raw materials into biochemicals and fuels, will contribute its expertise in strain development and bioprocessing utilizing its efficiency directed genome engineering (EDGE) technology.
The EDGE technology platform enables OPXBIO to engineer high-performing microbes and bioprocesses more effectively and efficiently compared to conventional genetic engineering methods.
