Covestro Korea announced on June 18 that the company is participating in the EU-supported joint project 'Bio4PURConti' to advance the development of a continuous production process for bio-based aniline.
Aniline is a fundamental chemical used in the production of MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate), a key raw material for polyurethane. MDI is utilized in insulation materials and automotive components. Currently, aniline production relies on fossil raw materials such as petroleum, resulting in approximately 20 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions globally each year from related processes.
Covestro has been developing a process to produce aniline using biomass derived from plants. This process involves creating intermediate substances through microbial fermentation, which are then converted into aniline that can be used in the same way as existing products through chemical reactions.
The project focuses on applying a continuous fermentation process instead of the traditional stepwise production method. Continuous fermentation allows for simultaneous raw material input and production, with a key emphasis on verifying production efficiency and process stability.
Covestro also plans to confirm that the aniline produced through this process can be used in existing facilities without any modifications.
Demonstration tests will be conducted at pilot facilities in Ghent, Belgium, and Leverkusen, Germany. The scale will be approximately 1.5 cubic meters, allowing for testing of process efficiency and applicability under conditions close to actual production.
The Bio4PURConti project includes Covestro and 10 institutions from seven countries: Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, Estonia, Spain, and Norway. It is a collaborative European research initiative involving both industry and academia.
The total project budget is approximately 8.4 million euros, or about 12 billion won, with 7 million euros funded by the EU's 'Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU).' The project duration is 42 months.
Covestro has an annual production capacity of over 1 million tons of aniline. The company aims to validate the industrial applicability of production processes for basic chemical materials using bio-based raw materials through this project.
Meanwhile, Covestro has demonstrated its corporate social responsibility by participating in cleanup and memorial activities at the National Cemetery in Seoul on Memorial Day.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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