The Hindu Business Line : Keen interest in bio-based materials

WHILE crude prices are hovering near $60 a barrel, companies that derive their products from petro-chemicals are increasingly looking at alternative sources for raw materials.

One such solution could perhaps be bio-based materials. In simple terms, this means sourcing products from plants that are abundant and whose sources can be successfully tapped or engineered to make petro-chemical or polymer substitutes.

For example, corn is available in plenty in the US. It is also seen as a good source of starch. Corn can be used in fermentation, which in turn produces organisms or bacteria that produce artificial textile material or polymers.

Ethanol produced from corn and sugarcane is being increasingly looked upon as a fuel for vehicles. The use of ethanol as a fuel for vehicles has not caught on countries such as the US but in nearby Brazil, it is now the main source of vehicle fuel.

"Our vehicles have facilities to drive on both gas (petrol) and ethanol. We are increasingly using ethanol because it is far more economical," says a journalist from Brazil, who is here for the annual international convention of the Biotechnology Industry Organisation.

In rupee terms, a litre of ethanol costs Rs 13.50, while petrol costs Rs 30. "When ethanol's price is not even half that of petrol, why should we not opt for it?" she asks.

Petrol in Brazil has a 25-per cent ethanol mixture. For multi-national companies such as DuPont, it makes sense to look for such bio-based material, says Mr John P. Ranieri, the company's bio-based material division's Vice-President and General Manager.

DuPont has come out with a fabric called Sorona that can be an equivalent to nylon. The product, which has been come after 10 years of research, has been patented. "Its a fabric from corn. It is very resilient, crush resistant, stretchable, soft to handle and even strain resistant," says Mr Ranieri.

But sucron is not biodegradable, though it can be re-cycled. What DuPont has done is convert corn starch into alcohol, which is used in the fermentation process to generate bacteria that produces this product.

"Currently, sorona is produced from petro-chemical since we don't have the required facility to produce it through the fermentation process," says Mr Ranieri.

DuPont is getting ready a 45,000-tonne fermentation unit near Tennesse in the US.

"The unit will process 10-20 million bushels (of 25.4 kg each) of corn annually. It should be ready by the year-end. From then, it will meet the requirement of sucron's entire production," Mr Ranieri says.

On its cost-effectiveness, he says the cost of such bio-based material can match or even be competitive to the petro-chemical derivative.

Another US firm Cargill has reportedly developed a similar bio-based material. According to Mr Ranieri, countries such as Brazil and India, which are top producers of sugarcane, can be sources of bio-based materials. "Brazil has lot of ethanol to offer. India too has plenty of sugarcane and I am surprised no efforts have been made on the ethanol front," he says.

"One need not worry about the availability of the produce. Technology is available to produce such sugar content even from biomass such as the remains of sugarcane or corn. We can even put bagasse to good use," says Mr Ranieri.

DuPont, to begin with, is looking at China to extend its sucron production. "It is the top nation in textiles. And India comes next. Definitely, there is potential," Mr Ranieri says.

In term of costs, according to analysts, a 45,000-tonne fermentation unit can help save nearly 15 million litres of crude daily.

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