The industrialization process of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is accelerating and the production cost will be significantly reduced.

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a bio-based chemical formed through the acid-catalyzed dehydration of carbohydrates such as fructose, glucose and cellulose. 5-HMF is the only bio-based platform compound with a cyclic structure that can undergo hydrogenation, oxidative dehydrogenation, esterification, halogenation, polymerization, hydrolysis and other reactions to produce different derivatives.

There are many 5-HMF derivatives, the main derivatives are 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (DFF), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), 2,5-tetrahydrofurandimethanol (THFDM), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid Methanol (FDM), etc. 5-HMF and its derivatives can synthesize a variety of organic compounds or polymer materials and are widely used in medicine, chemical industry, food, pesticides, diesel fuel and other fields.

According to the “2023-2027 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) industry market in-depth research and investment prospect forecast analysis report》shows that 5-HMF production technologies are diverse, including extraction, distillation, adsorption, crystallization, etc., among which the extraction method is mainly used for the separation and purification of 5-HMF. In the context of the rise of the bioeconomy, there is high enthusiasm for the research and development of 5-HMF and its derivatives, and the total number of patent applications for related technologies continues to increase. In 2021, the number of patent applications for 5-HMF and its derivatives in my country is 60.

In recent years, countries around the world, including Japan, the United States, the Netherlands, and China, have carried out a large amount of research and development work on 5-HMF. Institutions in my country engaged in the research and development of 5-HMF and its derivatives include Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang University, The research content of Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, etc. is mostly focused on the preparation of 5-HMF and its derivatives, among which catalysts are the focus of research.

5-HMF has a wide range of application fields, but due to higher prices and many substitutes, the global 5-HMF industry is small. In recent years, thanks to technological breakthroughs and growing demand for bio-based materials, 5-HMF has gradually achieved large-scale industrial production. In the international market, 5-HMF manufacturers mainly include AVA, DuPont, BASF, Corboin, etc.

At present, domestic 5-HMF representative suppliers include Zhongke Guosheng, Hefei Live Biotechnology, Zhejiang Sugar Energy Technology, Ruisai Technology, etc. Zhongke Guosheng pioneered the 5-HMF continuous production process and realized low-cost, large-scale production of HMF. Currently, Zhongke Guosheng has established R&D bases in Hangzhou and Ningbo, and officially laid the foundation stone at the Taixing Industrialization Demonstration Base. With the help of the Taixing production base , Zhongke Guosheng will have a 10,000-ton production capacity for 5-HMF, FDCA and other derivatives.

Industry analysts said that 5-HMF and its derivatives are numerous and have a wide range of applications, but they are limited by high costs and low production efficiency. , the scale of 5-HMF industry is still small. 5-HMF is a bio-based chemical. In the context of carbon neutrality and the rise of the bio-economy, 5-HMF market attention is increasing day by day. my country’s 5-HMF industry started late, but with in-depth research, 5-HMF has become more and more important in technology and industry. The market price of 5-HMF will continue to decline in the future as related projects are put into production, and its application fields are expected to be further expanded by then.