SBIR Phase II: Bio-Based Latex by Emulsion Polymerization of Alkyl Itaconates

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目将优化衣康酸烷基酯胶乳聚合物的大规模生产。这些胶乳代表了一类新的聚合物，在木材、纺织品、纸张和粘合剂涂层中提供理想的性能，包括低气味、无VOC贡献和生物基生产。Itaconix此前已开发出具有成本效益的乳液聚合工艺来生产这类新的聚合物。该项目的研究目标是扩大和优化这些工艺，以用于大型生产反应堆。 预期结果是衣康酸酯胶乳的商业量。该项目具有高度创新性，将使新型乳胶聚合物成为可能，提供所需的涂层性能，由可再生资源制成，并将加速综合生物炼油厂的发展。 该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是竞争性生物基产品潜在用途的显著扩展。许多目前正在开发的生物基产品，如生物丙烯酸，是同一产品的石油基版本的直接替代品。今后是否使用这种临时设施往往取决于商品价格、短期经济目标和长期环境目标的复杂性。衣康酸酯胶乳的生产和使用的好处是直接的和不复杂的。这些产品提供了具有独特功能的新型化学品，与石油基产品相比具有竞争力的性价比。它们对人类和环境的生产和使用是安全的。 它们由可再生资源制成，将加速高附加值生物炼油厂的发展，从油漆到纸张，消费者正在寻求增加他们购买的产品中的生物含量和可再生资源的使用。衣康酸酯胶乳的商业规模生产和使用将扩大美国满足所有这些目标的机会。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will optimize large-scale production of latex polymers from alkyl itaconates. These latexes represent a new class of polymers that offer desirable properties in wood, textile, paper and adhesive coatings, including low odor, no VOC contribution, and bio-based production. Itaconix has previously developed cost-effective emulsion polymerization processes to produce this new class of polymers. The research objective for this project is to scale and optimize these processes for use in large production reactors. The expected result is commercial quantities of itaconate latexes. The project is highly innovative and will enable a major new class of latex polymers that are novel, offer desired coating properties, are made from renewable resources, and will accelerate the development of integrated bio-refineries. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is a significant expansion in the potential use of competitive bio-based products. Many of the current bio-based products under development, such as bio-acrylic acid, are drop-in replacements for petroleum-based versions of the same product. Future use of such drop-ins often depends on complexities of commodity prices, short-term economic objectives and long- term environmental goals. The benefits from producing and using of itaconate latexes are straight forward and uncomplicated. These products offer novel chemistry with unique functionality at competitive price/performance to petroleum-based products. They are safe for humans and the environment to manufacture and use. They are made from renewable resources and will accelerate the development of high-value-added bio-refineries, and from paints to paper, consumers are seeking to increase the bio-content and use of renewable resources in the products that they buy. Commercial scale production and use of itaconate latexes will expand opportunities in the U.S. to meet all of these objectives.