Toray ups stake in nylon from sugar facility

Category: General

Country: Japan

Region: Asia Pacific

By Haydn Davis
04 September 2023

TOKYO - Toray Industries has increased its stake in its Thailand-based joint venture as it looks to ramp up the commercialisation of key nylon 6,6 polymer intermediates derived from inedible biomass.

Toray set up Cellulosic Biomass Technology (CBT) in 2017 along with its partner Mitsui DM Sugar Co. Toray has now invested a further ¥1.2 billion (US$8.2 million) in the subsidiary, lifting its stake from 67%, to 84.4%.

The Bangkok-based firm has been exploring cellulosic sugar production technology and has developed a 100% bio-adipic acid, the raw material for nylon 66 (polyamide 66), using a unique synthesis method that combines chemical purification technology using separation membranes.

According to Toray, this is the world's first development of adipic acid using sugar derived from non-edible biomass. This production method also avoids the generation of nitrous oxide, which is an issue when producing adipic acid using conventional chemical synthesis methods.

"Nylon 66 has excellent durability, strength, and rigidity, and has been used for many years as a fibre and resin for a variety of purposes," the company said in a statement. "Recently, with increasing awareness of realising a sustainable society, environmentally friendly nylon 66 has been developed. The demand for which is increasing."

The new tranche of investment will enable CBT to scale-up and proceed with polymerisation trial production of nylon 66, production technology development, and market research, with the aim of commercialisation by around 2030. The current target is around 100,000 metric tons of cellulosic sugar per year.

The funds will also be used to augment an existing setup for manufacturing cellulosic sugar from bagasse with new facilities set up at CBT to produce the sugar from cassava pulp.

This will boost the production capacity of this sugar to five metric tons per day with Toray also installing boilers that can burn biomass fuels and increase wastewater treatment capacity to reduce utilities costs in making cellulosic sugar.

Bagasse is the dry pulpy fibrous material that remains after crushing sugarcane or sorghum stalks to extract their juice. It is used as a biofuel for the production of heat, energy, and electricity, and in the manufacture of pulp and building materials.

Courtesy: https://www.ecotextile.com